3.6 million records, but a rating of 1.7 out of 5: This French saga ranks fifth on Netflix

Taxi 5 is coming to Netflix fast! Subscribers can discover (if they haven’t already) the fifth and final opus of the cult saga that began in 1998. Twenty years later, Franck Gastambide replaces Luc Besson on short notice – with his blessing – and camps with his friend, the ever-present Malik Bentala. A new duo – previously played by Sami Nasser and Frederik Diefenthal.

In this sequel, he also appears in front of the camera playing Sylvain Maraud, an efficient Parisian policeman and pilot extraordinaire who is transferred to the Marseille Municipal Police Brigade after sleeping with the prefect’s wife.

Former Commissioner Ghiberti, now the mayor of the city and at the lowest point of the election, entrusts him with the mission to stop the fearsome “gang of Italians” who raid jewelry stores with the help of powerful Ferraris. But to achieve this, Maro will have no choice but to collaborate with the nephew of the famous Daniel, Eddy McLough (Bentala), the worst VTC driver in Marseille, but the only one who can restore the legendary white taxi.

A success in theaters, but…

Frank Gastambide duly knocked on Besson’s studio door to offer him a taxi ride. The two men, accompanied by Stefan Kazanjiani (his co-author on Pattaya), started writing by mixing two visions and two generations. This would result in an action-packed film, but also a bit more standout than the previous one, with more caustic humor. Enough to attract 3.6 million theatergoers.

If the bet was successful for the teams, the audience and the press did not feel sorry for Gastambide. With a rating of 1.7 out of 5, this is his worst film as a director according to our readers, ahead of Medellin and Pattaya (both 2 out of 5). The latter bemoans the “hollow script”, “dangerous acting” and clichés that are a little too topical. However, the action remains everywhere.

“Not the same family”

Even if Gastambide managed to bring back two actors from the previous films, namely Edouard Montute and Bernard Farce (Diffenthal and Nacer did not want to return), the clash of generations was felt even on the set. An interpreter for ex-commissioner Guibert said recently that he had no good memories of Taxi 5:

“It wasn’t the same family I knew before. I didn’t feel comfortable, I didn’t feel in the same group, in the same atmosphere. Gastambide and Bentalha wanted to replace Sami and Frederic.”

Taxi 5 is available on Netflix.