BAC Nord

If you saw the French Les Misérables from last year, then expect a film with a similar focus. Personally, I’m surprised that the French are not afraid to make a movie that somewhat undermines their image in the eyes of their neighbors. This film once again depicts the helplessness of police forces in the most troubled neighborhoods (and this is not just an issue in the city of Marseille). During a few moments, I physically felt ill from the omnipresent despair in which the main characters are literally and figuratively drowning. Otherwise, Cédric Jimenez earned his reputation with The Connection, and here he proved his undeniable qualities in directing and screenwriting. Gilles Lellouche is excellent! That 20-minute raid on the ghetto in the middle of the film is probably one of the most intense parts of The Stronghold; at times, I forgot to breathe :D The second half was slower in pace but still had a lot to offer. The ending was satisfying. It’s filmmaking at its best. 7.5/10 (25.09.2021)

Just when I thought French cinema was on the decline, BAC Nord popped up on Netflix to prove me wrong. France, you’ve still got it. This gritty crime thriller throws you straight into raw, visceral action, introducing a crew that would take a bullet for each other. You know from the start that this bond is headed for a major snag, one that’s going to tear at your soul. The film boldly tackles the realities of no-go zones in Marseilles, delivering an intensity and authenticity in its action that I haven't seen from the French in years. It’s critical of the issues, yet still embraces the cultural mix that defines modern France. The world is so deeply woven into their culture that even Babylon would fall short of capturing it. This movie doesn’t shy away from showing you what life in that multicultural bubble is really like. By the end, I was left feeling torn apart. (27.09.2021)

After The Connection, the skilful Cédric Jimenez serves up another true story, this time from the high-risk sector in Marseille, which is dominated by drug gangs and high crime. The film is quite similar to Les Misérables and I have a soft spot for films like that, so I had a great time. It's not as striking and raw, but the depressing atmosphere, frantic pace and excellent actors (Gilles Lellouche and François Civil are great) make it an above average film that turns from action and crime to drama at the end, but the intriguing denouement definitely makes it interesting. It's good that Netflix has bought good stuff from France again after a long time. Story 4/5, Action 3/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 2/5, Fun 4/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 3/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 4/5. 7/10. (19.09.2021)

It is so loosely based on those events that it has almost nothing in common. Like really nothing. This doesn't really matter, as the strength of the adaptation is in an honest "gritty crime in the best spirit of the French school" genre, which takes a likeable turn for the dramatic in the final quarter. Exactly what you'd imagine after Jimenez's previous "crime in Marseille", which is good, because that one was bloody great. (20.09.2021)

The Stronghold is a story based on a true event about a police unit and its leadership that carry out an illegal raid in a French ghetto, and when that comes to light, the arrest of all the actors begins. The three leads are proper corrupt cops who certainly don't respect the law much, and it's quite a joy to watch the events unfold around them. The first half is excellent, about halfway through there’s the raid at the ghetto in and those twenty minutes of action where one member of the unit is left trapped in an apartment block alone against everyone is one hell of an intense ride where I couldn't breathe. The second half, on the other hand, is more of a wrap up of the case and closure of the story along with the fates of the main characters being painted out, and, although I understand that it's "based on a true story" and needs to end the film, I would have much preferred if we got another action set-piece at the end. Anyway, the French show once again that they are good at these ghetto films and that building tension, atmosphere and portraying a pretty gritty and uncompromising environment is no problem for them. A comparison with the recent Les Misérables is probably in order, as that one is a class better, with more action and the tension didn't let up for a moment, and that's why The Stronghold deserves "only" a better three stars. It was great and even if it lags slightly behind Les Misérables in some aspects, it still keeps up with it. A must for fans of the genre, for others a solid recommendation that they should definitely be satisfied with. (17.09.2021)