The French action thriller Ad Vitam, directed by Rodolphe Lauga, attempts to mix adrenaline with existential themes. The film, which stars Guillaume Canet as Franck, a former elite GIGN officer, examines duty and family ties. The Latin word for “for life” in the title suggests an intellectual depth that the book often avoids.
When masked attackers kidnap Franck’s pregnant wife, Léo (Stéphane Caillard), the narrative begins, sending him on a bloody mission. But instead of a well-thought-out story, we get a rough outline of well-known plot points.
Franck feels guilty about a terrible event that ruined his job. This history is interesting to learn about, but it’s told through forced flashbacks. When does an action movie become more serious? This is the question it begs.
Léo represents vulnerability and power, consistent with larger societal themes about gender roles in action films. Even though she has trained, she often plays the damsel in trouble, which hurts the character’s potential.
As Franck’s task goes on, the complicated plot shows signs of political intrigue in the past. The film flirts with commentary on duty sacrifices but retreats into explosive clichés, leaving one to wonder if it could have used its narrative more effectively.
The Twists and Turns of Ad Vitam: A Nonlinear Journey
The nonlinear way of telling stories in “Ad Vitam” feels both ambitious and, in the end, pointless. The film starts with an exciting event: a home attack that raises the stakes immediately. We are taken away into a series of flashbacks just as the moment is getting started.
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The love story with Léo and Franck’s terrible mistakes as a GIGN officer are filled out in these often boring sequences. It’s a classic example of “show, don’t tell” gone wrong; these flashbacks often lower the tension, making people wonder if they tuned into a soap opera instead of an action thriller.
As the narrative veers between current events and reflections from the past, the pacing suffers greatly, leaving the audience feeling lost and confused. It’s hard not to ponder the point of this structure: is it an artistic choice or a lack of faith in the main narrative?
Franck grapples with his past while trying to save Léo, and important plot points appear. The film tries to create a web of mystery involving political corruption and personal betrayal. Still, it often feels like a half-baked conspiracy theory that you might find written on the basement wall of a conspiracy theorist.
While the end is full of action, it lacks the emotional weight it needs so badly. Even though Franck’s problems should be very relatable, they frequently seem forced, as if the film is just checking off some boxes rather than building an interesting story. The conclusion ties up any loose ends, but it does so with a thud rather than a flourish, leaving viewers to wonder if they’ve seen a character grow or just a series of blasts with weak reasons in between.
In essence, “Ad Vitam” attempts to stitch together a complicated tapestry of narrative threads but gives us a patchwork quilt that lacks coherence. The ambition is clear, but the execution isn’t very good, which makes me wonder how well the choices made for the story work in the bigger picture of movie narratives.
The Characters of Ad Vitam: Heroes and Shadows
Franck (Guillaume Canet), a dark character haunted by guilt and the ghosts of his past, is at the centre of “Ad Vitam.” Franck used to be a dedicated agent for the GIGN, but now he is lost, and his life is falling apart as his family tasks and past work mistakes collide.
This duality is personal and represents a larger battle in society: the tension between public duty and private life. This theme is relevant in today’s highly connected world, where failures are often made worse by the public’s attention.
His heavily pregnant wife, Léo (Stéphane Caillard), serves as both a rock and a spark that inspires action. Even though her character is strong and capable, she often falls victim to the tired trope of the damsel in distress, which is a bad nod to traditional gender roles in action movies.
Although one could argue that her pregnancy gives her a certain vulnerability, it also begs the question of her agency in the narrative. In a narrative that doesn’t fully allow Léo to use her power, she is both a victim and a warrior.
The supporting cast, which includes Franck’s GIGN friends Nico (Alexis Manenti) and Ben (Nassim Lyes), gives the story more depth but often feels undercooked. As a tragic reminder of what it means to do your duty, Nico, the fallen soldier, is a character who is mostly there to further the story. Ben is charming but lacks the depth to make his part more interesting. He primarily serves as eye candy and comic relief (the stereotypical “cool Frenchman”).
This raises questions about the way the film develops its characters. Are these characters just shadows meant to light up Franck and Léo’s journey, or do they miss a chance to make the story more interesting?
Regarding the performances, Canet gives Franck a serious, almost monotonous air. Even though he tries hard, his performance lacks the emotional range to handle the film’s dramatic moments. He looks like he was told to be cool like Tom Cruise, but he looks more like moody, good-looking wallpaper.
Caillard, on the other hand, gives a great performance, giving Léo moments of strength and vulnerability, even though the story limits her character. Even though the narrative has flaws, the chemistry between Canet and Caillard is obvious and shines brightly. The film occasionally teases but never fully develops their interactions, which reveals a deeper relationship.
In the end, the characters in “Ad Vitam” show a tension between what they could be and what they do. Even though they deal with important themes, the way the film handles them frequently feels like a missed chance, leaving viewers to ponder what might have been in a more nuanced examination of their lives and decisions.
The Pulse of Ad Vitam: Action as a Double-Edged Sword
The action sequences in “Ad Vitam” are, without question, the heart of the film, pulsing with adrenaline and ambition. The film features a series of thrilling and ridiculously unlikely stunts, from the first home invasion to the final rooftop chase. Franck rappels down the side of a building in one memorable moment, which is an amazing feat that, while beautiful to look at, makes you wonder how an ex-cop could still be so agile after an injury that ended his career.
The dance moves in these scenes are all over the place. A strong sense of spatial awareness and tension can be seen in some moments, like the claustrophobic hand-to-hand fight scene in the small apartment. The film, however, frequently opts for spectacle over content, giving up emotional depth for flashy images. It’s as if the film’s creators thought that many fireworks would make up for any narrative flaws.
“Ad Vitam” feels like a student film trying to copy the style of more experienced films compared to modern action movies. The movie tries to be as exciting as “Taken” or as amazing as the “Mission: Impossible” movies’ stunts, but it frequently falls short.
The creativity in some stunts is commendable—who doesn’t love a powered paraglider chase through the skyline of Paris?—but these moments can feel forced as if the film-makers were just checking off a list of must-have action tropes without fully integrating them into the narrative.
On the other hand, films like “John Wick” have raised the bar for action choreography and incorporated their sequences into emotionally powerful narratives. The stark difference is clear: “Ad Vitam” has a series of well-executed stunts but lacks a unified narrative that elevates true genre triumphs.
The action in “Ad Vitam” ultimately serves as both a selling point and a destroyer. The lack of narrative integration raises questions about the film’s overall impact—does it leave a lasting memory, or is it just a quick thrill?
Themes and Motifs in Ad Vitam: A Tapestry of Tension
In its narrative, “Ad Vitam” grapples with themes of family and loyalty. Franck’s desperate attempt to save his pregnant wife, Léo, serves as a powerful representation of the strains on family bonds. But this picture of them often falls into tired tropes, making their relationship seem like a simple race against time.
The film examines loyalty, not only to loved ones but also to the ideals of duty and honour in law enforcement. The execution, on the other hand, feels jumbled because characters often act for story reasons instead of real ones.
The film’s comments on law enforcement are especially interesting because they show how people worry about corruption and the moral dilemmas of living a life of duty. Franck’s fall from grace can be seen as a microcosm of a larger disillusionment with authority. It’s a reflection of real-life situations where good goals clash with mistakes made by the government.
Despite this, the film frequently retreats into well-worn action tropes, choosing spectacle over serious criticism. In this way, “Ad Vitam” skirts around important societal questions but eventually chooses a safer path, leaving viewers to ponder whether it addresses the complexities of its themes or just skims the surface.
Cinematography and Direction in Ad Vitam: A Visual Tension
The cinematography in “Ad Vitam” goes back and forth between stunning visual flair and disturbing inconsistency. Some may think that the film’s muted colours are meant to represent its sad themes of loss and moral doubt.
With dynamic camera work that captures the fast-paced energy of city life, some action sequences are visually appealing. However, in quieter moments, the framing can feel strangely still, as if the camera is hesitant to enter the characters’ emotional landscapes (a strange choice for a film that throws its audience into chaos).
Rodolphe Lauga’s direction is ambitious; it tries to combine exciting action scenes with moving character studies. But this duality often makes the experience feel disconnected. Lauga seems obsessed with the spectacle of action, sometimes at the price of a stronger narrative.
His vision is admirable, but the effect is uneven; one moment, he captures a heart-pounding chase, and the next, the pace slows down, leaving the audience to wonder if they missed an important emotional beat. The film has a lot of problems, like this inconsistency, which shows how people want depth but also want thrills on the surface.
The Review
Ad Vitam
"Ad Vitam" is an ambitious but uneven action thriller that grapples with big themes of family, loyalty, and corruption but frequently opts for spectacle over substance. The film's narrative struggles to maintain coherence, leaving viewers with more questions than answers, even though the performances and some action sequences are excellent. Ultimately, it retreats into genre conventions after flirting with deeper social criticism. For some, it may be enough of a thrill without the weight of self-reflection. For others, it feels like a missed chance.
PROS
- Engaging action sequences with impressive stunts.
- Strong performances, particularly from Stéphane Caillard.
CONS
- Inconsistent pacing and narrative coherence.
- Underdeveloped supporting characters.
- Overreliance on action tropes.
- Missed opportunities for deeper social commentary.
