22 bullets were fired in a parking lot in Marseille in the body of Charly Mattei, a retired gangster. And yet, he survived. Revenge seems inevitable. This is the starting point of the film ‘22 Bullets‘ (the original French title is’ L’immortel‘- The Immortal) made in 2010 by Richard Berry, a well-known French actor who occasionally passes behind the camera. It is a mob movie in which the influence of Coppola‘s ‘The Godfather‘ is obvious, but which has at the same time a strong French flavour and a Mediterranean atmosphere, the story taking place in Marseille. What is left to add is that Jean Reno appears in the lead role and that the story starts from a true case to understand that we have the premises for quality entertainment for the fans of the genre. The promises are largely fulfilled.
What I liked? First of all, Jean Reno‘s acting. He is an actor who can’t do wrong, and to whom the role of Charly Mattei fits perfectly. The rest of the team of actors does their job with talent and professionalism, with a special mention for Kad Merad and Marina Fois, an actress I didn’t know or noticed until now. The dialogues are well written and the underworld environment is accurately and interestingly described. Marseille, one of the cities that seem to be created to be the setting for gangster movies, is beautifully filmed. The action is well paced and keeps the interest of the spectators permanently awake. What did I like less? The characters are schematic and lacking in depth. The plot is predictable and does not avoid the patterns. We understand from start not only what happens but also what will happen in the rest of the film. For fans of violent action, mafia intrigues and ‘films noir’, ‘22 Bullets‘ is recommended viewing. The rest of film lovers will not regret watching it unless they dislike these genres.