Secret défense (2008)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Philippe Haïm

Writers:

Nathalie Carter (participation)
Philippe Haïm (idea)

Release Date:

10 December 2008 (France)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

In France, terrorist groups and intelligence agencies battle in a merciless war everyday, in the name of radically opposed ideologies...

Plot Keywords:

Nerve Gas | Wine | Anti Terrorism | University Professor | Subway

Cast

Gérard Lanvin	...	Alex
Vahina Giocante	...	Diane / Lisa
Nicolas Duvauchelle	...	Pierre
Mehdi Nebbou	...	Ahmed
Rachida Brakni	...	Leïla / Chadia
Simon Abkarian	...	Al Barad
Aurélien Wiik	...	Jérémy
Katia Lewkowicz	...	Aline
Kamel Belghazi	...	Aziz
Djemel Barek	...	Khaled
Carim Messalti	...	Hajj
Hassam Ghancy	...	Danar
Nicolas Marié	...	Fouche
Salem Kali	...	Salem
Moussa Maaskri	...	Slim

Also Known As:

Secret Defence (Canada: English title) (DVD title)
Secrets of State (International: English title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | France:U (with warning) | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Company:

UGC YM

Trivia:

Gérard Lanvin's involvement was essential to get the film green-lit.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The terrorist boards Metro line 4 in station Montparnasse. He never changes line. He is pulled out of it in a station where you can see, at the front of the train, a passage going towards line 11. Being in line 4 to change to line 11, you have to take the train northward. But nowhere on line 4 northward, there is any such passage at the front of the train. The only such passage would be at the back of the train, in station Châtelet.

My I don't know how much they spent on the budget but it wasn't worth it!

Right, I think the first issue is with the editing, pace was roughly there but it just seemed to stutter in places and when most of the actors seem to have come straight out of stage school the pace really needs to be right on the button(compare and contrast with the UK TV drama, Spooks).

The story was weak and watered down, too many jumps without any suggestion, a poor script and direction also.

Thirdly the female lead, Vahina Giocante, really should have been shown the door after the first week, too much overacting for me, I've seen comedians act better. However I haven't seen any of her other stuff though so it could have been just a duff one for her.

Simon Abkarian has played measured bad guys before and did pretty well but I'm afraid that poor old Gérard Lanvin just didn't have enough script to go on, they spent too much time on the Martyr when they could have worked more on his character.

Sorry I really had high hopes for this and really wanted to like it, I even watched it twice to make sure I wasn't missing anything, but remember this is my opinion I'm sure others will love it. they tried to take the Spooks concept and do a French big budget movie, perhaps they should have got a script re-write and got Mathieu Kassovitz to direct.