The first film had a great chase sequence under the train, and the leading actor was a worthy Oscar winner, and this sequel from director John Frankenheimer (Deception) is almost as good. Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Gene Hackman) is in Marsailles trying to find Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey), the drug dealer/smuggler, the villain who escaped at the end of the previous film. There is a point where Charnier catches him, and holds him hostage, constantly injecting him and being forcibly addicted, and it is disturbing to see his breaking down after escaping this horrible torture, and for a little while he is very overly distraught and quite emotional. Before this, and after when he's back to normal he is just as violent and aggressive to do his job as the previous film, and he does kill Charnier in the end. Also starring Bernard Fresson as Barthélémy, Jean-Pierre Castaldi as Raoul, Charles Millot as Miletto, Cathleen Nesbitt as The Old Lady, Pierre Collet as Old Pro, Philippe Léotard as Jacques, Ed Lauter as General/Brigadier Brian, Alexandre Fabre as Young Inspector, Jacques Dynam as Inspector Genevoix and Raoul Delfosse as Dutch Captain. Hackman is pretty intense, I can agree it isn't as believable as the previous film, but still worth watching. Good!
Review of French Connection II
