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Vincent Cassel, Cécile De France, Gérard Depardieu, Mathieu Amalric, Roy Dupuis ... see more see more... , Gilles Lellouche , Elena Anaya , Olivier Gourmet , Georges Wilson , Michel Duchaussoy , Myriam Boyer , Anne Consigny , Florence Thomassin , Ludivine Sagnier , Laure Marsac , Gérard Lanvin , Alain Fromager , Samuel Le Bihan , Gilles Lelouche

This tough and gritty French-language crime drama represents the premier installment in a two-part series of features on the life and doings of notorious Gallic hood Jacques Mesrine (1936-1979). Mesri... read more read more...ne is played, in both installments, by actor Vincent Cassel, who reportedly underwent massive weight gain and weight loss to convincingly portray the volatile Mesrine at various periods of his life. Director Jean-François Richet begins in 1979, with Mesrine's uncommonly violent death, whereby he and a beautiful young woman are suddenly (and fatally) ambushed by Parisian police not far from Mesrine's place of birth. Richet then flashes back to the Franco-Algerian War of the late '50s and a brutal interrogation undergone by Mesrine. Following a military discharge, Mesrine returns to his parents' suburb of Clichy, where his dad has arranged a pathetic job for him in a lace-making factory. Never one to take humiliation lying down, Jacques perceives burglary, larceny, and racketeering as much-superior options and decides to pursue a life of crime via a "business partnership" with childhood buddy Paul (Gilles Lellouche), who works for mobster Guido (Gérard Depardieu).As the years pass, Jacques works his way up through the ranks of the underworld; via Paul, he also meets and falls hard for two women: Pigalle streetwalker Sarah (Florence Thomassin), and Sofia (Elena Anaya), a beautiful Spanish woman with whom he cohabitates after doing time in a French prison. Following a brief and unsuccessful attempt to "go straight," Jacques reconnects with Guido, then finds it necessary to escape from France to Canada with his new mistress, Jeanne (Cécile De France). Unfortunately, another prison sentence is waiting for him there, replete with brutal solitary confinement, but the possibility of a daring escape beckons. The second half of the Mesrine saga, entitled Mesrine: L'Énnemi Public No. 1 for French release, followed immediately after and picks up where this installment wraps. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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82% liked it

19,240 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

66 critics

R, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Jean-François Richet

Release Date: August 27, 2010

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DVD Release Date: February 22, 2011

Stats: 1,158 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,158)

  • cosmo313
    November 1, 2011
    cosmo313
    This is part one of a two part epic about infamous French gangster Jacques Mesrine who was a real menace during the 1960s and 1970s. I had not heard of him or his exploits before I heard about the movie, but when I heard about the movie, I got interested, especially since it star... read mores Vicnent Cassel who is becoming a guy I'm starting to really dig and get into.

    This was split into two parts, similar to what was done with Kill Bill and Che, and, like those two, I wouldn't have minded seeing the whole thing all at once instead of having to see one part then wait a bit to see the other. Even though I'm not totally satisfied with how they concluded this part, it does definitely make me thirsty for more.

    This portion of the story was based on Mesrine's own writings, so that's cool, and means that there's the chance of more honesty and realism in things, no matter how remarkable or unlikely they seem, such as the way he robs a bank then immediately runs across tthe street to rob another bank. You get some insight into who people are, and some development, but a lot of focus is placed on people doing stuff

    That's okay though, because the performances make it all work, especially Cassel (who looks rather spiffy sporting various types of facial hair), Dupuis, and Depardieu. Cecile De France who seems almost too cool and sexy for her own good. Plus, even though the film is mostly people doing stuff, it's really fun and entertaining since that stuff usually consists of armed robbery, kidnapping, or escaping prison.

    I know that before he did this director Jean-Francois Richet directed the remake of Assault on Precinct 13, so the man can do action and crime type stuff. I must say though that for whatever reason, whenever this type of movie isn't an American film, it somehow seems more sophisticated, classy, and artistically done. Not that there aren't exceptions to the rule (Mann, Scorsese, Tarantino, etc), but by and large foreign takes on crime cinema just seem to bring some respect that is often missing.


    You should check this out. It's got some fine, charismatic performances, fun style, good technique, and some strong music. I can't wait to see part 2.
  • ythelastman89
    September 1, 2011
    ythelastman89
    Mesrine Part I is undoubtedly the superior movie of the two because it comes from the writings of Mesrine himself. With his book as the main influence for this movie, it's easy to see why it's so interesting. It's not exactly glamorizing the gangster lifestyle and making the char... read moreacter out to be a secretly great person, but it shows a fair interpretation. A lot of the reason Mesrine is such a bizarre type of criminal is that he's just so nonchalant and straight-forward about who he is. This isn't someone who thinks he deserves acclaim and love, but not once does he ever apologize for who he is. Now a lot of why this kind of execution works is due to Vincent Cassel and his performance. It's undeniably amazing and gets to the essence of why anyone can and does sympathize with a larger than life gangster in the same vein as Scarface. His mannerisms and personality shifts are so interesting to watch. It's a character that could've been so overdone and blown out of proportion, but it's perfect. The story is so unbelievable half the time, what with the prison escapes, heists and just the general destructive attitude of Jacques Mesrine. While it might not follow a traditional narrative style, I think it's extremely easy to get into and enjoy. Visually, this movie is flawless as well. It's not hyper-edited and basically just lets the backdrop and characters shine through. Honestly, you can't ask for much more in a crime biopic. It gets everything right.
  • axadntpron
    August 10, 2011
    axadntpron
    What a great entry into the compelling yet tired gangster genre. Cassell delivers an astounding performance as this multi-faceted larger than life figure and Richet more than capably walks a fine line of bringing this fascinating, albeit violent, life to the screen, without makin... read moreg it feel hagiographical. While I can understand the criticism that the film feels episodic, it is a biography, and isn't life just a series of episodes? I think the director does a fine job of making this film feel like one life, rather than a series of disparate events.
    Overall, sharp directing, solid acting, and a great script, brings this film to life in a vibrant way.
  • kenstachnik
    May 26, 2011
    kenstachnik
    I see someone likes early DePalma as much as I do.
    Cassel is a hoot to boot!
  • itsjustme2004
    March 29, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Well made film, with some really great actors...but leave it to the French to make a crime thriller not so thrilling. I'm not sure what it is about French movies, but they sometimes just kind of drag. Another problem with the story is that it has a ragged and jumpy time line, and... read more though not too hard to follow, seems to jump implausibly from one period of the characters life to another. But, on the whole, this was decent and I do plan to check out the rest of it (cuz it seems to come in parts).
  • imrealgod
    March 9, 2011
    imrealgod
    The movie has more pros than cons and works great as a crime film. This gangster biopic is adapted into movie very finely and is surely worth a shot. It was guilty pleasure to watch this "Public Enemy #1" perform various crimes and managing to successfully escape from the hands o... read moref law. Needless to say that I'm eager to check out its sequel. Hope it won't be disappointing either.
  • MrMarakai
    March 4, 2011
    MrMarakai
    The allure of the gangster lifestyle seems to be a constant source of entertainment for people (myself included). It's a genre that has turned out countless classics and with this recent French addition, director Jean-Francois Richet has a good go of including his film amongst th... read moree best.
    Part one "Killer Instinct", covers the early career (1959 - '70) of outlaw Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel), covering his military service in Algeria, apprenticeship with a Paris gang-lord (Gerard Depardieu), crime-spree partnership with soulmate Jeanne (Cecile De France) and escape from a tough Canadian prison.
    Being only the first installment of this two-part, 4 hour crime flick. The word 'epic' may spring to mind. Strangely though, it never felt epic to me and I think this was mainly down to it not being about a criminal family but only one individual. However, it's no less effective and has more in common with "Scarface" in Mesrine's one man rise to power or notoriety and "Bonnie & Clyde" for his crime spree with a ladyfriend. What's demanded from it, is also the thing that holds it all together and that's a lead performance of power and charisma. This is where Vincent Cassel comes in. He's absolutely captivating. He commands every bit of the screen with a tour de force show. Being one of the finest actors around at present Cassel can now officially change his name to 'excel' for his portrayal of this dangerous career criminal. Excellent support also from a sadly underused but menacing Gerard Depardieu, who shows great presence and the only one that comes close to Cassel's powerhouse performance.
    An exciting fast paced bio-pic that'll have you hooked right from the excellent split-frame opening scene. Worth checking out for Cassel alone.
  • SirPant
    October 20, 2010
    SirPant
    The best gangster film I've seen for a long time. Jean-François Richet treats the subject, the life and times of Jacques Mesrine fairly, never glamorising the lifestyle of a gangster and showing the 'likable' side of Mesrine but not without showing you the nasty side of him. Not ... read moreonce did I think 'I hope he gets away with it', I did want to know more though, as he is an interesting figure in modern history, maybe for the wrong reasons but a fascinating figure none the less. I've been a big fan of Vincent Cassel's for a long time and he was perfect in the role and Jean-François Richet really does redeem himself from the misguided remake of Assault on Precinct 13 and is now definitely a director to look out for. I think the split-screen intro is worth watching the film for alone! Brilliant stuff!
  • emilebond007
    August 15, 2010
    emilebond007
    Awful, awful, awful storyline. It's as if the screenwriter had highlighted the parts from the books he wanted to adapt, then rewrote it with very cheesy lines, and then forgot to connect everything together.

    Can't understand why people could love this. Go watch The Prophet, ... read moreinstead.
  • 76Majikat
    April 4, 2010
    76Majikat
    One word - Impressive!!!!

    Not only has it been a while since such a great gangster film has been released, but this one is so packed with content, you'll think you've been watching it a lot longer than the actual 96 mins for the first part.

    This is without doubt Cassell's f... read moreinest role to date and for me already being such a fan of this Actor, the performance totally blew me away.

    Another pleasant surprise was the role played by Depardieu, who was almost unrecognisable in his role and played it rather convincingly.

View All Mesrine: Killer Instinct (L'instinct de mort) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Richard Nilsen
August 12, 2011
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

Four hours of French gangsters may not sound like a cinematic joy, but with Euro-star Vincent Cassel in the lead role, the movie is utterly hypnotic. Full Review

Robert Koehler
January 21, 2011
Robert Koehler, Variety

The effect of Richet's hyperventilating filmmaking is akin to that of an extended-play trailer. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 14, 2011
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

A crime epic in two parts, the story of Jacques Mesrine makes for a glittering tour de force turn by Vincent Cassel in the title role. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
August 27, 2010
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Cassel is a gifted actor, but he doesn't have enough to grab on to. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/08/27/2010-08-27_short_takes_mesrine_killer_instinct_highwater_centu... Full Review

Cary Darling
August 27, 2010
Cary Darling, Dallas Morning News

Cassel, who took the best actor award at France's equivalent of the Oscars for this role, is compulsively watchable. Full Review

Jen Chaney
August 27, 2010
Jen Chaney, Washington Post

Much of it plays like an unintentional mash-up of the numerous wrong-side-of-the-law sagas that preceded it. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
August 27, 2010
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

Lovers of car chases, shootouts, explosions and general mayhem will be turned on by director Jean-Francois Richet's work. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
August 27, 2010
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The screenplay, by Richet and Abdel Raouf Dafri, is a superb work of condensation, amplification and imagination. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
August 27, 2010
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

It's a fine opportunity for an actor, and the wolfish Vincent Cassell seizes it. Full Review

Steven Rea
August 26, 2010
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

An exhilarating old-school crime pic. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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