Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Public Enemy #1 (9/10)

Jacques Mesrine is a badass! The French criminal robbed banks, broke out of prison, got in shoot outs, always got the girl, and knew what he was doing. Jimmy Burke in Goodfellas was said to cheer for the bad guys in movies... Mesrine would be his messiah. In the 1970's Mesrine did what he wanted and when he wanted. The two films tell his rise as one of the most publicized criminals of the time. Mesrine is played like a mad dog by Vincent Cassel. He doesn't care how he looks to the audience, he's playing his character to utter perfection. Mesrine is comparable to John Dillinger, both bank robbers who cared just as much for the money as the fame. Then like "Public Enemies", both films have a real authentic and realistic touch to it. Mesrine looks, sounds, and is just simply fantastic. It's a crime drama of epic proportions. Mesrine was a crazy guy and so a film about him should be just as nuts.

9/10
Recommendation: Here is a movie to get your blood pumping, a pure adrenaline ride. It's two separate french films that take up a total of just under 4 hours. That may turn some off, but I say make the time for Mesrine.