Mesrine: Killer Instinct

Name: Mesrine: Killer Instinct
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: August 27, 2010
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Cécile De France, Gérard Depardieu, Vincent Cassel

2010

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Ratings

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Mesrine: Killer Instinct

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Movie Details & Credits

Music Box Films | Release Date: August 27, 2010 | R

Starring: Cécile De France, Gérard Depardieu, Vincent Cassel

Summary: Mesrine: Killer Instinct introduces us to Jacques Mesrine, a loyal son and dedicated soldier back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Soon he is seduced by the neon glamour of sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerald Depardieu) Mesrine turns his back on middle class law-abidingMesrine: Killer Instinct introduces us to Jacques Mesrine, a loyal son and dedicated soldier back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Soon he is seduced by the neon glamour of sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerald Depardieu) Mesrine turns his back on middle class law-abiding and soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder. After pulling off an audacious heist he and his lover Jeanne (Cecile de France) flee to Canada where the opportunity of one big payout lures him out of hiding and propels his towards international notoriety. (Music Box Films)
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Director: Jean-François Richet

Genre(s): Action, Biography, Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

The films never lose sight of Mesrine the man, a fascinating character in that he's brutal yet extremely intelligent, has a skewed but discernible conscience, and, under the right circumstances, can be warm and generous. Read full review

Roger Moore

Jan 19, 2011

Cassel's performance...the best reason to see this, one of the best French (In French with English subtitles) crime thrillers of the new millennium. Read full review

Shawn Levy

The film is big and sprawling and moves with fiery energy -- there's little or no exposition or explanation between scenes or episodes, yielding a breakneck pace. Read full review

Steven Rea

The real-life career criminal Jacques Mesrine is seen in all his wild, scary, violent glory. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

This is much more conventional cops and robbers stuff, leavened with a bit of sex and sequences of brutal, at times sadistic, violence. What elevates it above the norm is bravura acting by Vincent Cassel in the title role. Read full review

Tasha Robinson

Cassel is convincing and riveting as Mesrine, which helps balance out the film's problematic slick shallowness and disconnects. Read full review

Jen Chaney

Much of it plays like an unintentional mash-up of the numerous wrong-side-of-the-law sagas that preceded it. Read full review

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User Reviews

JUIKER

Jul 7, 2012

It's a great little history lesson. The movie is certainly implausible except for the fact that it is all based quite closely on the real life b#$tard. For all of his repugnance you still must watch to see how he pulls this all off and how it might all end. If there's an overarchingIt's a great little history lesson. The movie is certainly implausible except for the fact that it is all based quite closely on the real life b#$tard. For all of his repugnance you still must watch to see how he pulls this all off and how it might all end. If there's an overarching persistent flaw it is the way the movie surveys his life and crimes and never once even tries to dig into some pithy look at motivation. Still, very entertaining.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

skye7144

Sep 3, 2010

Riveting, action packed crime drama, with a mesmerizing performance by Vincent Cassel as Mesrine, the legendary French criminal. Amazed that I didn't know anything about this movie before I walked into the theatre, was glued to my seat for two hours, didn't want to chance missing anythingRiveting, action packed crime drama, with a mesmerizing performance by Vincent Cassel as Mesrine, the legendary French criminal. Amazed that I didn't know anything about this movie before I walked into the theatre, was glued to my seat for two hours, didn't want to chance missing anything for popcorn or a trip to the bathroom. Last hour of the movie superior to the first, detailing his burgeoning violence, his desire to defy the authorities at any cost, and his notorious infamy. That is except for its see you later ending which was rather abrupt and awkward. But can't wait to see Part Two.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

avatar16

Sep 27, 2011

Il y a une ambiance Ã l'amÃ©ricaine dans cette premiÃ¨re partie de Mesrine. Cette derniÃ¨re se montre assez noire, tendue et palpitante. Tout ce qui peut manquer Ã un film franÃ§ais en fin de compte! Et on peut dire queIl y a une ambiance Ã l'amÃ©ricaine dans cette premiÃ¨re partie de Mesrine. Cette derniÃ¨re se montre assez noire, tendue et palpitante. Tout ce qui peut manquer Ã un film franÃ§ais en fin de compte! Et on peut dire que Mesrine - L'Instinct de Mort est une vÃ©ritable surprise car il n'est pas un simple biopic pompeux mais bien un polar superbement mis en scÃ¨ne et interprÃ©tÃ© Ã la perfection (Vincent Cassel au sommet, mais n'oublions pas GÃ©rard Depardieu, CÃ©cile de France, Gilles Lellouche...). Dommage cependant que les scÃ¨nes s'enchaÃ®nent Ã un rythme (trop) effrÃ©nÃ©, Ã cause d'un scÃ©nario qui abuse des ellipses et d'un montage quelque peu brouillon. De ce fait, on a l'impression de passer Ã cÃ´tÃ© de beaucoup de choses vÃ©cues par Mesrine. Mais pour qu'un film franÃ§ais soit enfin de cette envergure, on ne va pas cracher dessus!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarcDoyle

Aug 28, 2010

The lead actor is excellent, and he's just repugnant enough that you're not rooting for him like you'd typically root for the bad guy in a movie like this. The supporting actors are uniformly outstanding. Even though I knew this is part one of two, it really ends rather abruptly - almostThe lead actor is excellent, and he's just repugnant enough that you're not rooting for him like you'd typically root for the bad guy in a movie like this. The supporting actors are uniformly outstanding. Even though I knew this is part one of two, it really ends rather abruptly - almost like they produced both parts to be seen back-to-back with a short intermission. I'll certainly see part 2, despite the fact that it's pretty clear how it will all turn out from the directors use of the uroboros.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

JLuis_001

Apr 14, 2023

Before I start watching it I have to say that I knew nothing at all about Jacques Mesrine, but I was very impressed by the fact that he had managed to get two simultaneous films made about him and starred by Vincent Cassel.

I did a little research while I was watching, and apparentlyBefore I start watching it I have to say that I knew nothing at all about Jacques Mesrine, but I was very impressed by the fact that he had managed to get two simultaneous films made about him and starred by Vincent Cassel.

I did a little research while I was watching, and apparently Jacques Mesrine was responsible for 39 deaths in a two-decade career as a bank robber and kidnapper, as well as escaping prison on several occasions and, incidentally, writing a few books.
I'm not much for celebrating these types of people, but here we are.

The film in question is entertaining, I can't deny it, and Cassel is a magnetic presence. His character comes across as arrogant, self-centered and choleric.
A man who doesn't even give a second thought to the crimes he commits and the violence he uses to get his way.

The dude is a **** sleazebag and Cassel never tries to soften him up. That might be difficult for people who need to create some sort of bond with the leading character in a movie, but here clearly the idea even with the notable embellishment of the guy, they're not trying to sell him as a hero or anti-hero either. Or at least I didn't seem to get that impression.

How much of the rest of its story will justify the sequel is something that remains to be seen considering I'll be seeing it next, and that to me is something that weakens it structurally because you apparently have to watch both films back-to-back, kind of like the Che movies that Soderbergh made.

So I'll have to see if they're completely similar in tone and style. Because if so, basically the only thing that separated the two films was the issue of their length and not necessarily the artistic element of them. But from what I can tell I liked this one.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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