Now available from Capelight Pictures on VOD and Digital
A group of violent criminals roam Paris, holding up banks and living their best life, an overzealous cop on their trails, things are about to get much more violent than they already are.
Written by Joël Houssin and directed by Jan Kounen, this uber-violent, stylized dark comedy action thriller feels like it is yanked from the pages of a very French, very 1990s comic book. The story here is simple, a group of criminals led by the Dobermann is wreaking havoc and having a blast, literally at times, while a cop and his subordinates hunt them with the intention of ending them permanently. When one of the criminals is a victim of police blackmail, the group must face off against the police force in an explosive final third. This film is something else, it’s go-go-go at all times with very few quiet or calm moments. As a testament to its creators and the era it is from, it’s got fun fashion, violent crimes, and colorful characters who have even more colorful language. The writing and direction here really work hand in hand to create this crazy fun film.
The cast here is absolutely solid, something that isn’t surprising when one takes a look at the cast list: Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Tchéky Karyo, Romain Duris, and a bunch of others. This is a cast any director would give their left kidney to have assembled in their film. The cast is super solid overall and of course, Monica Bellucci stands out being one of the few women here and of course, being herself. She is fantastic here, giving as good as she gets, holding her own against all these men and their insanity. Tchéky Karyo comes in and plays a part we’ve seen him play before and since, a cop/officer of the law, one who is here completely obsessed and become more and more deranged as the film goes. And he does this stunningly well. Playing the titular character of the Dobermann is Vincent Cassel who is turning in a super star performance here, one that shows why he often is the lead and one to play intense characters. The rest of the cast is also fantastic of course, this is one of those film where no member of the cast fails, not even a little. The performances are often over-the-top, but that is exactly what this story and film need.
The way this is all shot and edited is active, a little nuts, and just fun. The cinematography by Michel Amathieu (and theme) is enticing, it brings the viewer in from the first scenes in the church to the last scenes in the woods. The editing by Bénédicte Brunet and co-editor Éric Carlier just works. They take all those insane performances and the crazy images and turn them in to a film that just never stops and barely ever slows down. This is how you shoot and edit a film like this. The music here is also great, but some might find it a bit dated, for others it will be pure nostalgia. This music is credited to many people: Brune (aka Schyzomaniac), Jean-Jacques Hertz, Philippe Mallier, and François Roy. Their work is teamwork at its best, showing up when needed and giving the film exactly the right sound musically.
Dobermann is a cult classic, a film folks used to rent and rent in the late 1990s (if you lived where it was available of course). It has its fans and its detractors, but all great movies do. This is one of those films worth checking out for the first almost 30 years later or again as it has now been released on in 1080p which is glorious. As a side note and warning, the version sent for review was in dubbed English and if French language track with subtitles is available, it is highly suggested to go with that. Also, while we are on the technical side, the animated opening has aged and well, for those without nostalgia for it, it will look old, real old. A bit like this old review of Dobermann by an almost baby Emy-reviewer in 2010 that you can go read here.