From fistfights to chase scenes, high-octane actions makes Bastille Day a satisfying view as a action thriller.

James Watkins made his name as a horror director (The Woman in Black, Eden Lake), but he’s recently proven adept at pulling off an action thriller too.

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His third directorial venture, Bastille Day, stars Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation, Pacific Rim, Luther) as a defiant CIA agent, Sean Briar, tasked to track down a pickpocket-turned-terror suspect, Michael Mason, played by Richard Madden (Game of Thrones, Cinderella). When Briar finally nails Mason, who is innocent of terrorism, he decides to set a thief to catch a thief. The unlikely allies then team up to foil a bigger terror uprising.

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Watkins did not disappoint in delivering a story-driven action spectacle. The hair-raising chase scenes on Parisian rooftops and sleek fistfights staged in moving vans kept us on the edge of our seats. It helps that Watkins has Elba as his gritty, towering action hero. In fact, a number of industry watchers – Variety.com and Mirror.co.uk, believe Elba’s convincing portrayal in this film will put him in the running for the next James Bond role.

 
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Beyond the action fares, we also like the constant verbal sparring between Elba and Madden. While Elba shines, Madden’s scruffy role also impresses us since we still remember him as Disney’s new Prince Charming in Cinderella (2015).

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But we wish the film could have come to a more logical end. The final face-off between Briar and the enemy is a major flop as plot holes left us confused. But overall, Bastille Day still makes a satisfying viewing.

 

EXPLAINER: What is Bastille Day? 

Also known as France’s national day, Bastille Day commemorates the violent storming of Bastille, which was the flashpoint that led to the French Revolution.

 

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Release Date: 21 April 2016

Runtime: 92 minutes

Language: English

Censorship Rating: NC 16

Genre: Action

Director: James Watkins

Featured Cast: Richard Madden, Idris Elba, Charlotte Le Bon and Kelly Reilly

 

Photos courtesy of Shaw Movies