The Incorruptible - Murderous Marseille - Blu-ray

Film: As a juvenile court judge, Pierre Michel (Jean Dujardin) has seen time and time again what drugs can do to young people in 1970s Marseille. When he is promoted to organized crime judge, it gives him a chance to get right to the root of the evil. But to do so, he must take on Gaëtan 'Tany' Zampa (Gilles Lellouche), the head of the so-called French Connection. La French controls the entire city, earning a lot of money there through protection rackets, which they then reinvest in a perfectly organized import-export business of high-grade heroin. La French's arms reach all the way to New York. So far, no one has ever messed with the powerful drug godfather, but Michel is determined to put a stop to him. But he soon discovers that he won't succeed by legal means.

The Incorruptible is based on the true events that inspired William Friedkin's classic French Connection - Flashpoint Brooklyn. And so, in one scene, director Cédric Jimenez quite obviously bows to that gangster movie masterpiece. But otherwise he goes his very own way, which in the end leads to quite great thriller cinema of the old school. Bathed in a very authentic 70s look, Jimenez tells an extremely gripping story that is enhanced by some extremely rousing moments of suspense, great acting and elegantly realized action sequences.

Jean Dujardin, who has so far been most notable in comedic roles, delivers an equally strong and convincing performance as the dogged judge, as does Gilles Lellouche as the Godfather of Marseille. It's not the first time these two French superstars have been in a film together. But they haven't met before with such intensity as it is felt here. The duel between the two, which is actually destined to end in tragedy, is without a doubt the most gripping aspect in a thriller that manages to entertain well on other levels as well.

Cédric Jimenez does a first-rate job of building suspense precisely by taking the time to develop the story and its characters rather than simply relying on fast-paced, yet pointless action. Thus, especially in the last third, the gangster drama develops into a merciless power struggle, in which even for Pierre Michel it's no longer just about moral justice. If you appreciate classic thriller cinema with interesting characters and if you attach more importance to a sophisticated story than to leaden action, this is a must-see. Absolutely worth seeing!!!

Picture + Sound: The Blu-ray picture presents itself in very warm colors while exhibiting good to very good overall sharpness. There are minor weaknesses in detail here and there, especially in darker moments. However, this also supports the very authentic 70s look and therefore doesn't really stand out as a weakness. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix makes the dialogue sound very powerful from the frontal area. Some sound effects and ambient noises provide some movement in the surround every now and then, which is then convincingly filled with life during the action-heavy sequences. Good!

Extras: The centrepiece of the extras is a making of, which at 53:15 minutes is pleasantly comprehensive. Through interviews and glimpses of the filming process, this provides an interesting overview of the thriller's production. Additionally, there are some cut scenes (approx. 6:17 min.), as well as the trailer and other programming tips from the provider. Good!

Conclusion:The Incorruptible is first-rate, old-school thriller cinema. Director Cédric Jimenez has directed a first-rate gangster epic that scores points with a rousing story, a coherent '70s set, great actors, and a winning mix of action, drama, and character development. It's a great film that deserved to be seen by a wide audience on the big screen. But also the home cinema conversion can be seen and also offers with a good making of and cut scenes also decent extras. For this there is a very clear: Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp