The central struggle of Netflix’s French action thriller, Ad Vitam, hinges upon the age-old question of whether the concept of nationalism equates loyalty to the state or to the ones who control the power dynamics of the state. While the execution of the theme left much to be desired due to a lackluster script, the performance by the ensemble cast was strong enough to keep the audience entertained.
Franck Lazarev Played By Guillaume Canet
French actor, director, and screenwriter Guillaume Canet has been active in the movie industry for over the last three decades and has starred in acclaimed movies like the crime noir Next Time, I’ll Aim for the Heart, the adventure drama titled The Beach, and the thrilling Tell No One, which was also directed by him.
In Ad Vitam, Guillaume Canet plays the lead role of former GIGN Captain Franck Lazarev, whose quest to serve true justice results in him and his family being targeted by the very system they have served. Franck’s motivation to join France’s elite tactical intervention unit stems from a sense of generational pride, as his father was a decorated member of the squad as well who sacrificed his life in service. This loss shaped Franck’s personal philosophy of believing that people involved in such a lifestyle where they have to prepare for the worst and have no assurance of a safe future, cannot afford to raise a family.
Franck’s loyalty to his comrades and strong sense of responsibility supersedes his personal relationships and feelings, which makes him a trustworthy and dependable compatriot, but is also a major character flaw in my opinion. Sure, his responsibility to share the truth of his dear friend Nico’s death with his family was of seminal importance, but surely there would have been a better way to do so instead of putting his wife and unborn child in harm’s way. By the end of the movie, it seems that Franck has finally learned his lesson and has begun to prioritize his family over everything else. Actor Guillaume Canet handled the physicality of his character pretty well, given that a lot of intense action sequences involved Franck being put into high-stakes situations.
Leo Played By Stephane Caillard
French actor Stephane Caillard has a two-decade-spanning acting career with roles spanning both the silver screen and the small screen. Stephane rose to prominence with the action thriller movie Bastille Day, the horror thriller Get In, and Fox’s TV series adaptation of War of the Worlds. In Ad Vitam, she plays the role of former GIGN operative Leo, Franck’s wife, who is much more composed, perceptive, and sharp-witted than him. Leo is shown to be an expert negotiator, the way she handled a hostage situation that wasn’t going to be resolved by force. Like Franck, Leo too didn’t believe that it is possible for people like them to lead a so-called normal family life, to have children and all ensuing entanglements. But perhaps Nico’s perspective changed her mind at the end, and she started to believe in the strength that familial bond provides. Leo shared a strong bond with Ben, which isn’t explored in the movie as much as it could have been. She empathized with Ben, after realizing he didn’t have anyone he could call a family, and provided him with a sense of belonging amidst the comrades of GIGN. The fact that even in her heavily pregnant condition, Leo was no damsel in distress and was able to fight Vanaken’s operatives with ferocity conveys how strong she really is, both mentally and physically. Ultimately, it was Leo who secured the evidence that not only resulted in Franck getting acquitted, but also brought the truth about Nico’s death and the scandal of the French government to the light. In my opinion, Leo is a much better protagonist as compared to Franck and isn’t a generic Mary Sue character like him.
Nico, played by Alexis Manenti
French actor Alexis Manenti boasts a wide range of acting credits and rose to prominence by playing the role of Chris in Les Misérables. In Ad Vitam, he portrayed the character of Nico, Franck and Leo’s close friend. Nico’s worldview of family being a source of strength, even for the people who risk their lives on a daily basis to serve their nation, changed Franck and Leo’s perspective. The familial bond the couple shared with Nico and his family implored both of them to push through the worst adversities and even go against the state itself to seek justice. Who knows? Had Leo been able to share the news of her pregnancy with Franck in time, he would not have made the crucial decision of intercepting the hotel shootout situation in haste—and Nico probably would have still been alive. Anyway, Nico’s presence and absence left a major impact in Franck’s life as seen through the course of the narrative.
Ben Played By Nassim Lyes
Algerian-French actor Nassim Lyes has recently starred in a number of action flicks, namely Farang and Overdose, and has also been a part of the ensemble cast of small-screen ventures like The Spy and Birds of Paradise. In Ad Vitam, Nassim Lyes had a chance to show off his acting chops as Ben, a highly skilled GIGN operative whose lonesome existence due to his religion and status as an immigrant made for an interesting characterization. However, Ben’s character was not fleshed out as much as viewers would have wanted, and despite having a positive direction to do so in the second half of the movie, the narrative reduced him to Franck’s second fiddle during the climactic showdown.
Miscellaneous Characters
Aside from the lead cast, supporting actors did a good job with the limited screen time they had been given. Actor Johan Hendelbergh played the role of Secret Service Agent Vanaken, whose intensity had an unintentional comedic flair. Actor Zita Hanrot played the role of Nico’s wife, Menon, a sympathetic character who could have been given some screen time during the final moments of the movie. Special props should go to the stunt team as well, given there were a number of high-octane action sequences which were performed seamlessly.Â