Ad Vitam: A Thrilling Ride That Falls Flat in the End!

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Netflix launched its 2025 film lineup by premiering “Ad Vitam,” a French action-thriller directed by Rodolphe Lauga. This movie, similar to many in its genre, offers an enjoyable escape from the stress of award season toward the end of the year. If you consider it that way, “Ad Vitam” certainly fits the description. However, it’s also evident where it could have reached greater heights.

The film titled “Ad Vitam” (meaning “for life”) leaves viewers perplexed and frustrated. Despite its brief 98-minute runtime, it contains the potential for an engaging movie. Regrettably, this intriguing beginning is followed by a protracted and energy-draining flashback sequence. The storyline’s swift start soon slows down as Lauga, alongside his co-writer and leading actor Guillaume Canet, strive to develop a background narrative. However, their efforts fall short in both depth and execution.

In a new role, Canet portrays Franck, a former policeman who was let go from his service after a calamity occurred under his supervision. Initially, he’s seen working as a building inspector, ascending the bell tower at the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris. One day, Franck and his heavily pregnant wife Leo (played by Stéphane Caillard) come back home to discover their apartment violated and disheveled – the second such incident in two weeks. Franck shows reluctance to act, which stirs Leo’s suspicions.

In my narrative, events take an unexpected twist when a band of men heavily armed with weapons forcefully break into our apartment, capturing Leo as their hostage. I later discover that Frank has been concealing incriminating data, which links influential figures to a vast conspiracy. After enduring a brutal assault, Frank is threatened by the main henchman (Johan Heldenbergh) that he has only four hours to locate and hand over this evidence if he ever hopes to be reunited with his wife again.

However, the film suddenly changes direction when Lauga leaps back a decade into an extended flashback sequence. This segment depicts Franck being admitted to the gendarmerie and encountering Leo, whom he later develops feelings for. It also showcases his friendships with Ben (played by Nassim Lyes) and Nico (Alexis Manenti). Although these relationships seem authentic, they aren’t particularly captivating until the heart-wrenching event that ultimately results in Franck’s discharge is revealed.

Approximately thirty to forty minutes into the film, it transitions back to the present day where Frank hurries against time, leading up to an entertaining yet arguably preposterous action scene for a conclusion. Regrettably, this ending doesn’t offer much closure and fails to emphasize what becomes clear: a rather thin narrative. There are hints of chemistry between Canet, Caillard, and Lyes, and they possess the required physical abilities. If only they had been given more engaging content to bring to life.

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2025-01-21 18:56