FILM REVIEW – When armed men break into Franck Lazareff’s home, kidnap his wife, and frame him for the murder of a colleague, the former elite commando is thrust into a whirlwind of danger and mystery. Ad Vitam, the latest French thriller on Netflix, takes viewers ten years back in time to unravel the web of events leading to a gripping climax. Directed by Rodolphe Lauga and starring Guillaume Canet, the film debuted last week and stands out as one of the earliest major releases of 2025, offering a unique and somewhat unconventional cinematic experience.

This January, Netflix kicked off the year with a French action film led by Guillaume Canet. Since fear is not part of our vocabulary, we had no hesitation in diving into Ad Vitam.

Ad Vitam’s Recipe: New Year, Old Tropes

Sometimes, you’re unsure how to start the new year off right, and other times, the director of Je te veux moi non plus – the Prime Video “comedy” starring Ines Reg and Kevin – delivers a new film. Does this mean the holiday cheer is officially over and 2025 is here to crush our spirits? Not quite. Life can still surprise us, and Ad Vitam is one such surprise, especially with Guillaume Canet leading the charge.

Franck Lazareff, a former GIGN (French special forces) operative, finds himself dragged back into a life of chaos when armed assailants invade his home, abduct his pregnant wife, Léo, and set off a desperate race against time.

Reading the premise, one might wonder if there’s some sort of “screenwriting dictionary” filled with familiar buzzwords like “special forces,” “troubled past,” or “race-against-the-clock.” In other words, clichés are certainly abundant in this film.

The New Wave of French Action Films

At first glance, Ad Vitam didn’t inspire much hope. It seemed like yet another Netflix production taking advantage of French tax breaks, with a cast that, apart from Guillaume Canet, largely consisted of the platform’s familiar faces: Nassim Lyes (Sous la Seine), Stéphane Gaillard (Marseille), Zita Hanrot (Plan Cœur), and Alexis Manenti (Athéna). A safe, uninspired casting choice that didn’t promise much innovation.

Then came Carry-On, which reminded us that it’s worth keeping an open mind. Sometimes, Netflix still delivers projects that manage to stand out, even just a little, from the ever-growing sea of streaming content. A new year brings new resolutions: quit smoking, be kinder, and maybe give Netflix Originals a fairer chance.

Surprisingly, Ad Vitam quickly defied our initial skepticism. Director and co-writer Rodolphe Lauga (working alongside Canet) wastes no time. He knows that if he doesn’t grab the viewer’s attention immediately, they’ll be distracted by their phones or pasta boiling on the stove. And he delivers: within 15 minutes, you’re thrown into the heart of the action, with punches, gunfire, and palpable tension setting the stage. The film’s simplicity and efficiency shine, ensuring you’re never bored, even if originality is scarce.

Revisiting the Past

After hooking the audience, Lauga dedicates more than half of the 98-minute runtime to an extended flashback, exploring Lazareff and Léo’s time in the GIGN. This choice allows secondary characters to come to life and helps viewers form emotional connections to the protagonists. While not flawless, the camaraderie and esprit de corps bring an engaging warmth to the narrative, drawing you into the film’s pivotal twist.

Once the flashbacks conclude, Ad Vitam shifts back to what it does best: high-octane action. The final half-hour is packed with thrilling car chases, intense shootouts, and escalating tension, ensuring that boredom is never an option. The film’s relentless pace keeps the adrenaline pumping until the very end.

Overall, Ad Vitam is a fast-paced and surprisingly enjoyable action film. While it doesn’t aim for the top tier of Netflix’s offerings, it manages to exceed expectations. It’s particularly refreshing to see Guillaume Canet step away from his usual comedic and dramatic roles and return to the thriller genre, where he hasn’t been seen since Ne le dis à personne. Canet navigates the genre with confidence and delivers convincingly in the film’s more physical scenes.

Though Ad Vitam won’t rank among the best of French cinema, it fulfills its promise: a thrilling, entertaining evening. Its straightforward approach, efficiency, and an unexpected charm keep it from being a complete miss and even earn it a bit of goodwill.

The Shadow of Narrative Fragmentation

The film’s disjointed narrative structure leaves a bitter aftertaste. While both halves could work independently, together they feel awkwardly stitched, as though the two writers worked separately and later tried to merge their parts without proper cohesion. This dissonance is especially evident in the MacGuffin – a badge – which the story hinges on but fails to give significant weight, despite the filmmakers’ attempts to prop it up.

Even so, Ad Vitam is not a failure. Its charm lies in its modest simplicity and effectiveness. With Guillaume Canet and a few well-executed action sequences, it manages to carve out a place as a worthwhile, if not groundbreaking, addition to Netflix’s 2025 lineup.

-Gergely Herpai “BadSector”–