An eventful return for Alban Lenoir
Eight years later Anti-gang (2015), returns with Benjamin Rocher Antigang: La Relèvea sequel that takes a more personal turn. If the first film focused on the vigorous adventures of Serge Buren’s team (played by Jean Reno), this new chapter focuses on Niels Cartier, played by Alban Lenoir, who has since established himself as an essential figure of action cinema French.
The story begins tragically: Niels’ partner, Nadia, is killed during a mission. Consumed by grief, Niels abandons his career as a police officer and retrains as a driving instructor. But his teenage daughter, Charlotte-Serge (Cassiopée Mayance), has trouble imagining that her father was once a daredevil willing to do anything to stop criminals. It is only when Nadia’s killers resurface that Niels takes up arms again and launches into an eventful investigation, supported by his daughter, who discovers an unexpected side of her father.
This second work deviates from the pure action film to adopt a “buddy movie” tone between a father and his daughter. The chemistry between Alban Lenoir and Cassiopée Mayance brings freshness to the story, mixing humour, emotion and action. Director Benjamin Rocher pays homage to American action cinema, particularly through references to Lethal weapon OR A day in hellinfusing a French touch into the dialogue and aesthetic.
An action comedy full of nostalgia
If Antigang: La Relève was planned to be released on Disney+ rather than in theaters, the film still remains ambitious in its action scenes. The shootouts, chases and fights are carefully choreographed, even if we sense a certain modesty in the budget compared to the first work. This doesn’t stop Benjamin Rocher from taking advantage of these constraints to flesh out his characters and deepen the relationships between them.
Alongside Niels Cartier, we find familiar faces such as Stéfi Celma, Jean-Toussaint Bernard and Sébastien Lalanne, who are joined by Sofia Essaïdi in a new role. Jean Reno also makes an appearance, albeit more in the background, to underline the connection with the first film.
The balance between action and comedy, while sometimes awkward, makes for memorable moments, particularly when Niels, rusty from years away from the field, struggles to find his reflexes when facing his enemies. This blend of self-deprecation and explosive scenes allows the film to stand out, while remaining part of a tradition of popular action cinema.
Source: Cine Serie
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