J D
This is totally crap!!! Unless you want to be misled by 5min of actions but dragged into meaningless and extremely boring not-even-romantic-nor-police-like 70min VIDEO, then this is the movie for you... even the last 10min of actions are boring, empty and dumb...
I never learn... Netflix has been making crappy movies continuously... but I still watched because my partner insisted, I never learn...!!!!!!!!!(ANGER)
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
04/19/25
Full Review
Jose p
It's a good movie, honestly. I love stories where the main character does everything to get his girl, and I love the tension in the last act. Even though you know what's going to happen, you still get excited. It's a little slow, but it gets better in the end. Watch it when you actually have some free time.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
04/06/25
Full Review
Gabriel S
Ad Vitam is one of those films that might entertain casuals, appealing to their need of high-action scenes and over-the-top thrilling plot points, but critics should catch the flaws of the story upfront, and, through exposure, diminish the payoff of this film.
The story starts strong: Franck is a former GIGN agent and is hiding a secret. Because of this sin, he is being chased by some high-profile hitmen searching for a particular item. This premise appeals to any action thriller fan in the world, but unfortunately, Ad Vitam just does it all wrong.
First, we start in media res, which is a turn down. This means we start at the middle, then we jump back to get some backstory, then we are back to the present for the finale. This technique sometimes work, but I feel it does not for Ad Vitam. The change of pace is abrupt, and the backstory is not that thrilling altogether. It is like we start with an action thriller film, then we jump to a love story, then we jump back to what I can only call pure action.
The chemistry between characters Léo and Franck work, but only because of actress Stéphane Caillard. She gives her heart trying to make their relationship work onscreen, while Guillaume Cane is just this wood plank too traumatized by whatever his dad did — though, cudos to Canet for the emotion-packed scene when his friend Nico dies.
Then there are two big problems with this film: the plot and the villain.
The story is full of holes to keep what I call convenience suspense, which is when events serve the purpose of just keeping the protagonist alive, rather than playing out in a logical way. These type of events happen throughout the whole plotline of Ad Vitam, a series of unforgivable conveniences after the other. To give you an example of such events, imagine Villain has Protag overwhelmed at gunpoint, but Villain decides to let Protag live out of dumb decisions like a stupid, elaborate plan he wants to follow to the details (instead of adjusting to the situation), or out of pure pride or mockery, the old “I will let you live because I want to make you suffer” (rather than just winning altogether).
The plot seems to reach high-profile, scaling up towards Government conspiracy levels, but then things resolve in the most uninterested and low-key way possible. I started wondering how Franck would get out of the mess he got himself into, but what should I have hoped for: of course the story just disregards all the stakes it created, later focusing only on Franck and Léo.
And the villain ended up being a shocker, in a bad sense: a full transition from someone that the story introduced as a cunning man to a buffoon. Disappointing.
Director Rodolphe Lauga is a newbie on the industry, with only 4 entries into his portfolio. I think this lack of experience might have had a toll on the film performance.
Ad Vitam fails in most aspects, unredeemable. It starts out nicely but then raises the stakes high without creating payoff. Plot points are a series of off-track beats after another, culminating in an anticlimactic ending that does not make justice to the stakes at play.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
03/24/25
Full Review
Bilim M
Génial comme films je le recommande
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/22/25
Full Review
Mario H
Absolutely unnecessary action film, with a middle section that is far too long.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
02/05/25
Full Review
Santhosh J
"Ad Vitam" on Netflix impresses with its high-octane action sequences, featuring engaging stunt work and chases that keep the adrenaline pumping. However, the film's appeal is undermined by its disjointed storytelling. I felt a lag slowing down the whole movie's pace. The narrative felt somewhat generic despite its beautiful Parisian settings. While action fans might find enjoyment in the well-executed physical feats, the movie struggles to connect on a deeper level, with a plot that leans too heavily on familiar tropes without adding much depth or innovation.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/05/25
Full Review
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