Audience Member
I'm a fan of "cinema du look". I like Diva and similar films from this time. Its entertaining, not a film to watch for deep insights.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/13/23
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Audience Member
Wholey-French-retro-Moley… Luc Besson goes underground.
What even is this? Is it a romance thriller? I think it's a romance thriller. It is beautiful, with lots of classic Luc Besson composition but in a slightly grittier world. It's set nearly 100% in the underground world of a French Subway station - both the commuter side and the underworld "homeless" side. Our main character might be "Le Roller"… a petty criminal who rollerskates from police capture regularly.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/23/23
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steve d
Not among Besson's best but still entertaining.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
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Audience Member
Sexy stylish 80s french film making, cracking off beat cult film. Isabelle Adjani in the 1980s was wow.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
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Audience Member
Um filme com estética punk. Dinâmico e envolvente, mostra cenas da vida diária da Paris que se oculta Aos turistas.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/26/23
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Audience Member
Cinematically, "Subway" is all style without shame - it's underground chase scenes, street fashion, tough talk, anomalous musical interludes, and behavioral flamboyancy, meaning and the much sought after thing known as depth all but pushed aside. Its materialism, though, is explainable and surprisingly welcome: "Subway" is among the era defining movies of cinéma du look, a French film movement characterized by electric visual brio complemented by an ensemble comprised of alienated, sometimes eccentric youths. "Subway" is a comedy thriller that figures its aesthetic is its greatest asset, not emotional impact nor an intelligible storyline. Akin to the romanticism that indulges the cult of a tragic legend, it pushes past naturalism and heads straight for stylistic luxuriation.
One could accuse "Subway" of being shallow, of being obsessed with presentation and not with the histrionics associated with a masterpiece of a film. But because it announces itself as a chic quasi-successor to the French New Wave almost immediately, we embrace its pep - its reliance on imagery is so effective because it doesn't strive to be anything more than a descent into style, its fascinating performances, inspired direction, and good enough plotline all things that impede complete vapidness.
Luc Besson, an influential action filmmaker ("Nikita," "The Fifth Element"), co-wrote and directed "Subway" at the tender age of twenty-six, having only helmed two films before it. Like most cinematic masters, his talent is eminent even in his youngest of years. Material as niche-oriented as "Subway's" is not so easily accessible, but Besson's exuberant flair makes it amusing rather than off-puttingly pleased with itself.
It's hard to resist, anyway. It stars a charming (and pre-"The Highlander") Christopher Lambert as Fred, a bottle blond, small-time crook taking refuge in various Paris Métro stations after robbing the safe of a corrupted entrepreneur during a party. In no shape to think about anything besides evading his currently dire situation, which involves hot pursuit from his victim's henchman as well as the French police, he makes the most of his plight, familiarizing himself with the many colorful low-lifes that call the subway's underground their home.
But Fred's scrappiness cannot serve him forever. There comes a point in which running is no longer an option, when trying to outsmart authorities will eventually be impossible. So this dooms a blossoming (albeit forced) relationship with Héléna (Isabelle Adjani), the much younger trophy wife of the aforementioned businessman.
But when the plot predictably verges on tedium, Besson has all the right moves to make "Subway" feel alive - the film is exquisitely cast (I especially took a liking to Adjani's increasingly rebellious housewife who yearns for something dangerous), and the action is brainy but grounded in refreshing realism (its police versus roller-skated antagonist chase in the subway is superlative, and the opening car chase is a fittingly explosive way to introduce the film's untamable personality). It's a lot of fun, and Besson and his team of actors know plenty about providing seemingly unattainable cool. It's an essential look into a limited movement that gave France some of its most cinematically compelling works.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
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