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the audience applauded

A Major Disappointment

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

... it is the lead and the most important motif for I love this film. all the rules of Gothic novel. the impecable acting. the splendid story. the embrodery of mistery, seduction and values of a lost time. Paris of the middle of XIX century. and Gerard Depardieu in his best form. short, one of films like a great travel across time, spaces, significances, looking the truth in special manner, with special toools, out of ordinary rules of genre. maybe, an old fashion film. and that is more than a good point. but one of great things defining refuge in authentic art of cinema and its basic purpose.

Along with "Le pacte des Loups", "Vidocq" can be spotted as the beginning of a french invasion in horror and fantastic genre. Viewing it 6 years after its first presentation on-screen, when French cinema has now produced such chillers as Haute Tension or L'intérieur, its easy to be impressed with the path the genre seems to follow in this most improbable country... Although Horror french movies are not ALL good, "Vidocq" is a prime example of a good and original piece of work coming from Moliere's land (and you should also pay close attention to the other movies named above...).While the story behind this gorgeous movie (every single frame is a "tableau") is pretty simple, there is much to love in this flick. All actors are quite good and every single characters is so well defined that, even with few words, the viewers can be delighted with their playing (Dussolier is especially good...). Costumes and settings are part of the fun here: with digital effects used with overwhelming intensity, Pitof have created a world that tap easily in our Gothic sensibility, yet the few historical events (the tensions between the people and the government is somehow palpable though we don't see much of it: it creates an ambiance of decadence that permeates every scenes) depicted here and there help keeping a strange aura of reality to this very improbable story... As I said: its clearly part of the fun...As the aforementioned simple story told before, Pitof edited his movie in a very energetic way, the scenes flowing easily from present to past and thus maintaining the viewer's interest. It helps that it begins with a Bang: the titular character being killed by the criminal (and what a criminal!) he is after in an industrial setting that could be hell (it simply have to be seen...). After that, a journalist, stating that he is Vidocq's official biograph, is searching for the truth: what happened to Vidocq and who killed him... And thus begin the darkest ride into the darkest sides of Paris ever filmed... with a satisfying punch in the end... This ending is good in a way that make the movie interesting to watch again in the lights of this very last information. Another interesting point: the story of Vidocq and his colleague Nimier, being told during the opening credit: keep your eyes open to read every newspaper's titles that goes here and there among the artisan's of this movie and you will have a complete fleshed out background for those characters...All and all, a very good and deliciously dark flick that would satisfy those weary of the mainstream horror cinema... This is not a film to read about. To fully experienced it, you have to see it... Believe me!

Sad to say that this movie just arrived at our DVD store (video store no more) and I was surprised that it was made so long ago. Having said that I was transfixed from beginning to end. The close ups where definitely in your face and for some might take a little getting used to, as was the from beneath shots. But it gave one such an interestingly intense view of the whole story. Although set before the revolution it had a futuristic quality. The script draws you in as the story unfolds. From the moment of Vidocqs death until the unveiling of The Alchemist. (So who amongst you guessed?.) From the selling of your daughters, the street workers, jugglers and vendors to the powdered and wigged aristocracy. Each character larger than life (hence the close ups. Living in opium dens or grand homes, showing victims and abusers ripping off the flesh of the downtrodden women of the poor, the lowest of the low. Actually various reviewers have likened this to a number of movies but for me Mirrormask is the closest, if it resembles any. And although I haven't seen Gormanghast, I imagine that this is what that book should look like. Surreal, colourful, grimy, cruel and wrapped up in the basest of desires. The search for eternal youth. So great movie with a lot to discuss over dinner or a cafe latte.

One thing to be said about Vidocq is, that Pitof has managed to made visually rather neat flick, even thought it's very visible, that the budget of the film wasn't extremely huge, as some of the CGI effects are very clearly just effects.Plot isn't that bad either: Vidocq (Gerard Depardieu) is hunting notorious murderer called The Alchemist. Vidocq then disappears, but his biographer Boisset (Guillaume Canet) begins his quest to find him.As for characters go, Alchemist is actually rather effective boogie man, even thought the movie itself clearly is tilted towards action than horror. That is the biggest problem of the movie: besides the action it really has very little to offer.Watch it for it's action scenes, not to get scared.