Stars: Samy Naceri, Frédéric Diefenthal, Marion Cotillard, Manuela Gourary, Emma Sjöberg, Bernard Farcy, Georges Neri, Dan Herzberg, Sébastien Thiery, Philippe du Janerand | Written by Luc Besson | Directed by Gérard Pirès
Classic high-octane car chase thriller Taxi, created by renowned writer/director/producer Luc Besson, is cult action comedy about a speed freak taxi driver who is forced to make a deal with the police or lose his licence. The film has spawned three sequels, an American remake and a TV series which has sadly not found a UK broadcaster as yet. Now the original film, which introduced the world to high speed car chases and gallic action, hits Blu-ray courtesy of Second Sight, in a new high-def transfer that makes the film look as fresh and exciting today as it did on its debut in 1998.
Like a lot of more modern Besson movies, the plot of Taxi is relatively simple:...
Classic high-octane car chase thriller Taxi, created by renowned writer/director/producer Luc Besson, is cult action comedy about a speed freak taxi driver who is forced to make a deal with the police or lose his licence. The film has spawned three sequels, an American remake and a TV series which has sadly not found a UK broadcaster as yet. Now the original film, which introduced the world to high speed car chases and gallic action, hits Blu-ray courtesy of Second Sight, in a new high-def transfer that makes the film look as fresh and exciting today as it did on its debut in 1998.
Like a lot of more modern Besson movies, the plot of Taxi is relatively simple:...
- 11/6/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Taxi 3
PARIS -- Producer Luc Besson and director Gerard Krawczyk have teamed up again for the third of the highly successful "Taxi" films. The first had more than 6 million admissions, the second had more than 11 million, and the latest has screeched straight to pole position at the boxoffice.
Fans of the first two films will not be disappointed, but those new to the tale of Marseille taxi driver Daniel (Sammy Naceri) and his best buddy, Emilien (Frederic Diefenthal), may find the ride tedious and uninspired. The opening scenes are promising enough. A helmeted motorcycle rider is pursued through the streets of the city by a band of police officers on Rollerblades. The action is dizzyingly fast. The camera swoops and slides as the rider negotiates parked cars, cobbled streets and flights of stairs. He eventually escapes, and the audience gasps as he takes off his helmet to reveal ... Sylvester Stallone.
The subsequent action scenes never match the energy of the first five minutes. A desultory plot involving a gang of Chinese bank thieves disguised as Santa Clauses is never fleshed out. The humor is predictable, and the characters are two-dimensional. This is a made-to-measure film that unashamedly sets out to please its adolescent following. There are car chases aplenty, bungling police officers, soft drugs, seductive women and a street-wise taxi driver.
Despite the array of special effects, the real star of the film is Commissaire Gibert (Bernard Farcy). At his best, he is reminiscent of the late Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Clouseau. Commissaire Gibert is grossly incompetent and ridiculous, but underneath is a man who simply wants to do a good job. It's an endearing -- and hilarious -- performance.
Fans of the first two films will not be disappointed, but those new to the tale of Marseille taxi driver Daniel (Sammy Naceri) and his best buddy, Emilien (Frederic Diefenthal), may find the ride tedious and uninspired. The opening scenes are promising enough. A helmeted motorcycle rider is pursued through the streets of the city by a band of police officers on Rollerblades. The action is dizzyingly fast. The camera swoops and slides as the rider negotiates parked cars, cobbled streets and flights of stairs. He eventually escapes, and the audience gasps as he takes off his helmet to reveal ... Sylvester Stallone.
The subsequent action scenes never match the energy of the first five minutes. A desultory plot involving a gang of Chinese bank thieves disguised as Santa Clauses is never fleshed out. The humor is predictable, and the characters are two-dimensional. This is a made-to-measure film that unashamedly sets out to please its adolescent following. There are car chases aplenty, bungling police officers, soft drugs, seductive women and a street-wise taxi driver.
Despite the array of special effects, the real star of the film is Commissaire Gibert (Bernard Farcy). At his best, he is reminiscent of the late Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Clouseau. Commissaire Gibert is grossly incompetent and ridiculous, but underneath is a man who simply wants to do a good job. It's an endearing -- and hilarious -- performance.
- 2/11/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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