What is with all these sequels and trilogies and half-films? Once, not so very long ago, a trilogy was a big deal – there was Dollars, Star Wars, Godfather, Three Colours. These days it’s as if there’s a secret plot to get rid of single films altogether. Now, you go down the cinema, and between LOTR and The Matrix, it’s like a Wyndham scenario – The Day of The Trilogies.
This particular celluloid triumvirate from Belgian director Lucas Belvaux is not, however, remotely typical of a generally opportunistic trend. La Trilogie features three interwoven films, made in three discreet genres – thriller, comedy and melodrama. So as you sit there watching La Trilogie 2; An Amazing Couple, (due out November 28) the second installment and a farcical comedy, you’ll recognise the leads as supporting characters from the first film: a stylish, moody thriller which casts the director himself as a revolutionary on the run, determined to orchestrate one last terrorist attack and make good an escape over the French Alps.
Even if On The Run had proved the most misbegotten experiment since Robbie Williams did that swing album, you would have to applaud the audacity of this venture. Happily, there’s more than that going on: it’s a brooding and effective thriller with shades of such French classics as Le Samourai. Crucially, it works perfectly well as a stand alone film, so the casual viewer need not worry over long-term commitment, though they’re almost certain to come back of their own accord.