Tueurs

Belgium comes up with a stylish and raw gangster flick that won't leave fans of similar films cold. In the 1980s, Belgium was in the grip of a gang of ruthless thieves who left a trail of dead bodies in their wake, and they didn't care if they were women or children. They were never caught, and that doesn't play into the hands of Valken and his crew, who are now the prime suspects. The performances are excellent (Olivier Gourmet is classically great and I also liked the policewoman plpayed by Lubna Azabal). It's nicely Western, dynamic, adrenaline-fuelled, twisted and properly manly. Belgium pulled it off. 80%. (02.12.2018)

The storyline is straightforward and slightly predictable, but the rough feel of a Western European crime movie and the adequately cold work with the characters are just cool. And most of all, everything rises and falls with the “good gangster” masterfully played by Olivier Gourmet. The scene where he and his buddy get rid of police cars on the highway beautifully revels in the youthful rebellion of cocksure guys who believe themselves to be above the law. It reminded me of the confidence of De Niro’s band from Heat, a masterful work in the same genre. Above the Law is great for fans of French action/crime films, but only for them. Don’t expect anything else from it. (08.04.2018)