Largo Winch: The Price of Money

Largo Winch, the heir to the W Group financial empire, returns to the big screen, still with the actor Tomer Sisley. It's a successful return for this new part of the adventures of the billionaire playboy. Review guaranteed without spoilers.

Largo Winch, the color of money is the third adaptation for the big screen of the comic strip created by Jean Van Hamme, with the designer Philippe Francq. The second film was a critical and box office failure. It is therefore a Belgian team which takes up the torch. If Belgian cinema is known for the quality of its auteur cinema, it shows here that it has the talents to create a blockbuster. Coming from auteur cinema, director Olivier Masset-Depassé (Duelles) adapts volumes 13 and 14 of the comic strip, with Giordano Gederlini, his co-writer of Duelles and Domenico La Porta. Coming from drawing, this director had the creator of the comic strip as his teacher.

Following the kidnapping of his son Noom, Largo Winch sets out to search for him across the globe, in an adventure full of twists and turns. From Canadian forests to the streets of Bangkok, and the mines of Burma, the landscapes are exotic, majestic, impressive. The film is faithful to the comics. The pace is sustained. The production of the action scenes is successful. The emotion is here, with LW's quest to find his son, his difficulty of being a father. The Belgian studio Benuts produces the VFX.

The director relies on a solid casting. Tomer Sisley is credible as an adventurer. James Franco is also a good “villain”. The actors were trained by stunt director Jérôme Gaspard, with the John Wick saga as a reference. The cast did a lot of the stunts themselves and that contributes to the realism of the movie. Clotilde Hesme plays Largo Winch's assistant. Elise Tilloloy is the revelation of the film. She plays the film's troublemaker with great energy and forms a stunning duo with Tomer Sisley.

With Largo Winch, the color of money, Belgian director Olivier Masset-Depassé has created a blockbuster designed for the international scene, to be seen on the big screen.

Largo Winch: The Price of Money
Directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse
Produced by Nathalie Gastaldo Godeau, Jacques-Henri Bronckart
Written by Olivier Masset-Depasse ; Giordano Gederlini, Domenico La Porta, Jean Van Hamme
Based on the work by Jean Van Hamme, Philippe Francq
Starring Tomer Sisley, James Franco, Clotilde Hesme, Elise Tilloloy
Music by Frédéric Vercheval
Cinematography :Glynn Speeckaert, Stéphane Vallée
Edited by Damien Keyeux
Production companies : TF1 Films Production, Pan Européenne Production, Versus Production, RTBF, Voo-BE TV
Distributed by Pan Distribution (France)
Release date : July 31,2024 (France)
Running time : 100 minutes

Seen June 13, 2024 at Club Lincoln

Sabine's Mark:

Thirteen years after the release of his second opus, Largo Winch 2, the globe-trotting billionaire returns to the big screen in Largo Winch: The Price of Money. Directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse, this third installment in the saga was eagerly awaited, especially after the mixed success of its predecessor. The challenge for this film was not only to rekindle interest in the franchise, but also to meet the expectations of an increasingly demanding audience. Unfortunately, despite certain qualities, the film struggles to convince and leaves an unfinished impression.

The film's screenplay is adapted from volumes 13 and 14 of Jean Van Hamme's original comic strip, entitled The Price of Money and Dollar's Law. The plot follows Largo Winch, now a father, as he confronts a complex conspiracy to destroy his financial empire. Right from the start, the disappearance of his son Noom sets Largo off on a race against time to find him and foil his enemies' plans. While this seems a promising starting point, it merely repeats narrative patterns already seen in the first two films. The quest for revenge, internal and external threats within the company, and the rescue of loved ones are all themes already explored. This plot redundancy gives the film a sense of déjà-vu that detracts from its impact.

One of the film's main problems lies in characterization. Largo Winch, although still played with charisma by Tomer Sisley, fails to evolve significantly. His role as a father, which could have added a new emotional dimension to the character, is treated superficially. The film attempts to make Largo a more human hero, grappling with family responsibilities and moral dilemmas, but these aspects are not sufficiently developed to touch the viewer. The antagonists, for their part, are largely under-exploited. James Franco, who plays the main villain, is confined to a stereotypical role with no real depth. His character, though convincingly played, lacks the menace or complexity to be memorable.

The direction of Olivier Masset-Depasse, who is more accustomed to auteur films than blockbusters, shows its limitations in this context. The action scenes, which should be the highlight of the film, are uneven. Some sequences, such as the chase on a snow-covered road, are well executed and manage to captivate, but they are few and far between. Most of the time, the direction lacks fluidity and dynamism, which is particularly problematic for a film that purports to be an action thriller. The editing, meanwhile, sometimes leaves something to be desired, with abrupt transitions that disrupt the understanding of the action. This weakness in direction is all the more apparent when compared to similar franchises such as James Bond or Jason Bourne, which have perfectly mastered the art of the action scene.

Despite these shortcomings, Largo Winch: The Price of Money also has some notable qualities. Tomer Sisley remains the undeniable heart of the film, and his physical commitment is impressive. He performs several stunts himself, showing that he has lost none of his energy or charisma since the first film. His performance manages to maintain interest, even when the script doesn't. Alongside him, Élise Tilloloy, who plays Bonnie, a young Quebec orphan, brings a welcome freshness. Her character, though secondary, manages to inject a little emotion into a film sorely lacking in it. However, the choice of having a French actress play a Québécois character remains questionable, particularly as regards the credibility of the accent and cultural specificities.

Another interesting aspect of the film is its attempt to tackle contemporary themes. Indeed, Largo Winch: The 
Price of Money deals with the evolution of business in the face of environmental challenges, as well as the perception of billionaires in modern society. These relevant and topical subjects could have given the film added depth. However, they are tackled too superficially to have any real impact on the plot or character development. For example, the suicide of a Largo Winch subsidiary director involved in green energy projects could have been a starting point for further reflection on the social responsibilities of big business, but this is never fully explored.

Largo Winch: The Price of Money is a film that constantly oscillates between potential and incompleteness. It attempts to position itself as a blockbuster action thriller while tackling serious, topical themes, but fails to fully succeed in either area. Uneven direction, a repetitive script and underdeveloped characters prevent the film from really rising above the fray. For fans of the franchise, it offers a few moments of nostalgic entertainment, but for the general public, it's unlikely to leave a lasting impression. This third installment may well mark the end of the Largo Winch film saga, unless a future film finally manages to fully exploit the rich universe of the original comic strip.

Largo Winch: The Price of Money
Directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse
Produced by Nathalie Gastaldo Godeau, Jacques-Henri Bronckart
Written by Olivier Masset-Depasse ; Giordano Gederlini, Domenico La Porta
Based on the work by Philippe Francq
Starring Tomer Sisley, James Franco, Clotilde Hesme, Elise Tilloloy
Music by Frédéric Vercheval
Cinematography :Glynn Speeckaert, Stéphane Vallée
Edited by Damien Keyeux
Production companies : TF1 Films Productio, Pan Européenne Production, Versus Production, RTBF, Voo-BE TV
Distributed by Pan Distribution (France)
Release date : July 31,2024 (France)
Running time : 100 minutes

Viewed August 10, 2024 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 15 seat A19

Mulder's Mark: