L'Union sacrée (1989)
Directed by Alexandre Arcady

Film Review

French director Alexandre Arcady is in his element with this pacy action thriller, one that, whilst obviously imitative of similar American thrillers of the time, has its own Gallic identity, partly through its highly topical allusions to racial tensions between France and the Arab world. It's a somewhat more grown-up piece than Arcady's earlier box office hit Le Grand pardon (1982), better structured, more pertinent and offering more in the way of believable characterisation. Richard Berry and Patrick Bruel (who featured in the director's earlier Le Grand carnaval (1983)) make an effective crime-fighting team, the two actor's complementing each other superbly with their different personalities and acting styles. Surprisingly effective in a tough guy role, Bruel would subsequently impress in a similar role in what is arguably Arcady's best thriller, K (1997). In common with much of the director's work, L'Union sacrée is a lavish production that is somewhat undermined by its infantile gory excesses (Peckinpah without style) and surfeit of forced sentimentality. However, the performances are first rate - Bruno Cremer and Claude Brasseur lend extra muscle to the drama - and the story about the police fending off the threat of religious fundamentalist terrorists makes it highly relevant, if not somewhat ahead of its time.

Film Synopsis

Simon Atlan, a Jewish anti-narcotics cop, is teamed up with Karim Hamida, secret agent for an Arab government.  Tensions between the two men run high as they investigate an international drugs ring operating in state schools.  They agree to bury their differences when they learn that a diplomat Ali Radjani is behind a terrorist network based in an Islamic Cultural Centre.  Karim manages to infiltrate the centre by posing as a fundamentalist, and is shocked by what he discovers.  His cover blown, he narrowly escapes death by Simon's timely intervention.  Radjani swears revenge and, a short while later, Simon's wife is killed in a terrorist attack.  Simon will let nothing prevent him from avenging the death of his wife.  Karim's orders are to stop him at any cost…