It's the second effort from René Manzor I watch after "le Passage" (1986) which was a turkey and this one is several notches above at the level of quality.
If you were fond of the linear but absorbing "Primal Fear" (1996) and the stylish "Fight Club" (1999), then, "Dédales" may appeal you. It is an offbeat crossing between the two quoted flicks and you will be able to make the rapprochement between them only at the end of the film which contains an "de Rigueur" unexpected twist and because "c'est à la mode". That said, the expressions I used to describe it are not to be meant pejoratively. Yes, it's highly far-fetched and hardly credible but it ends a captivating thriller with a scenario. Manzor had the neat idea to incorporate the legend of the Minotaur as a basis for the starting point and the evolution of his story. Evolving on two ways: a few days before the arresting of Claude when a gloomy, young inspector (Frédéric Diefenthal) investigates about a series of murders committed by a serial killer and a few months after in a psychiatric hospital when doctor Brennac (Lambert Wilson) has to study a patient, Claude (Sylvie Testud) who suffers from schizophrenia and shelters multiple personalities, Manzor creates a sticky atmosphere for the former and a sultry one in the latter. He also served his film with a sharp editing and several sequences, especially the end will leave you on the edge of your seat.
There's a good cast: Lambert Wilson is excellent, Sylvie Testud, one of the luminaries in the contemporary French cinema confirms if it was necessary the full extent of her acting skills. Michel Duchaussoy provides a palatable secondary role and Frédéric Diefenthal, unrecognizable with his disheveled hair and beard shows he can be a good actor apart from the "Taxi" saga.
The movie was broadcast late at night on the sixth French channel a week ago. They're usually duds which are broadcast at this hour of night but here it was a bit unfair to shelve it this way!
If you were fond of the linear but absorbing "Primal Fear" (1996) and the stylish "Fight Club" (1999), then, "Dédales" may appeal you. It is an offbeat crossing between the two quoted flicks and you will be able to make the rapprochement between them only at the end of the film which contains an "de Rigueur" unexpected twist and because "c'est à la mode". That said, the expressions I used to describe it are not to be meant pejoratively. Yes, it's highly far-fetched and hardly credible but it ends a captivating thriller with a scenario. Manzor had the neat idea to incorporate the legend of the Minotaur as a basis for the starting point and the evolution of his story. Evolving on two ways: a few days before the arresting of Claude when a gloomy, young inspector (Frédéric Diefenthal) investigates about a series of murders committed by a serial killer and a few months after in a psychiatric hospital when doctor Brennac (Lambert Wilson) has to study a patient, Claude (Sylvie Testud) who suffers from schizophrenia and shelters multiple personalities, Manzor creates a sticky atmosphere for the former and a sultry one in the latter. He also served his film with a sharp editing and several sequences, especially the end will leave you on the edge of your seat.
There's a good cast: Lambert Wilson is excellent, Sylvie Testud, one of the luminaries in the contemporary French cinema confirms if it was necessary the full extent of her acting skills. Michel Duchaussoy provides a palatable secondary role and Frédéric Diefenthal, unrecognizable with his disheveled hair and beard shows he can be a good actor apart from the "Taxi" saga.
The movie was broadcast late at night on the sixth French channel a week ago. They're usually duds which are broadcast at this hour of night but here it was a bit unfair to shelve it this way!
