Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
After nearly two decades of legendary criminal feats, making him France's most notorious criminal while simultaneously feeding his desire for media attention and public adoration, Mesrine becomes increasingly paranoid and isolated, leading to a dramatic confrontation with the law that ultimately seals his fate as the nation's most infamous public enemy.
The second part of Mesrine's story delivers a gripping portrayal of a man unraveling under his own mythology. Vincent Cassel's performance is electrifying — larger-than-life yet frighteningly credible. The ending, depicting the infamous 1979 ambush, is staged with brutal efficiency and genuine dramatic weight, giving the film a powerful, inevitable conclusion. The plot is serviceable but less tightly structured than the first film, and the cinematography is competent period work without being especially distinctive. Novelty is adequate — the biopic framework is familiar, though Cassel's sheer force of personality makes this feel somewhat singular.