HanaBi
Nexus 9.1 For Sale. One Careful Owner
"The French Connection II" (1975) - Gene Hackman
Summary (Credit to Rotten Tomatoes) -
Four years after the original the story continues with Popeye still in hot pursuit with his nemisis, Charnier, but this time set in the back streets of Marseilles. Unlike the original Popeye no longer has his trusted partner, Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider), by his side; and as such the film feels somehow incomplete & uneven given that Hackman is the only real driving force in this character-driven thriller.
The supports from Fernando Rey and Bernard Fresson (Popeye's French detective stooge), are adequate, but the film lacks real tension and direction right up until the 3rd and final stanza and the pursuit of Frog One by Doyle - and even that ended rather lamely I thought.
On its own the film stands up quite well, especially Hackman's overly long & drawn out "cold turkey" sequence; but it really doesn't compare to its original, and it desperately misses Roy Scheider to take some focus away from the rather depressing & tormented Doyle character.
3/5
Summary (Credit to Rotten Tomatoes) -
This sequel to the Oscar-winning The French Connection picks up almost exactly where the earlier film leaves off. Still on the trail of drug kingpin Frog One (Fernando Rey), narcotics officer "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) leaves his Manhattan stomping grounds and heads for Marseilles. There, Popeye is captured by Frog One's minions, who pump him full of drugs in hopes of turning the cop into a hopeless junkie. After a grueling "cold turkey" treatment, Popeye is up and about and chasing after the villains, determined to mete out justice
Four years after the original the story continues with Popeye still in hot pursuit with his nemisis, Charnier, but this time set in the back streets of Marseilles. Unlike the original Popeye no longer has his trusted partner, Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider), by his side; and as such the film feels somehow incomplete & uneven given that Hackman is the only real driving force in this character-driven thriller.
The supports from Fernando Rey and Bernard Fresson (Popeye's French detective stooge), are adequate, but the film lacks real tension and direction right up until the 3rd and final stanza and the pursuit of Frog One by Doyle - and even that ended rather lamely I thought.
On its own the film stands up quite well, especially Hackman's overly long & drawn out "cold turkey" sequence; but it really doesn't compare to its original, and it desperately misses Roy Scheider to take some focus away from the rather depressing & tormented Doyle character.
3/5