The Gardener // David Charhon. With Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michaël Youn and Nawell Madani.
When a film mixes emblematic figures like Jean-Claude Van Damme and popular comedians such as Michaël Youn, we expect an explosive cocktail, rich in action and laughter. Unfortunately, The Gardeneravailable on Amazon Prime Video, fails to deliver a compelling cinematic experience. Between weak dialogues, botched action scenes and disappointing production, this film is far from fulfilling the promises of its casting. The film’s plot relies on a combination of action and political intrigue that, on paper, could have worked. However, the lack of depth and originality of the storyline makes the whole thing predictable and boring.
Every year, the Prime Minister eliminates a list of nuisances of all kinds in the name of reasons of state. Serge Shuster, a senior official close to the Presidency, finds himself unwillingly at the heart of a scheme that causes his name to appear on this list. Condemned to certain death, at the heart of a state secret which also puts his family in danger, Serge, his wife and his children have only one hope: their strange gardener, Léo.
The stakes seem artificial, and the twists lack surprise. The viewer struggles to feel invested in this story which, in the end, never takes off. The characters, too, are another weak point of the film. Stereotypical to the extreme, they struggle to arouse the slightest empathy. Worse still, their dialogue is disconcertingly flat, making certain scenes almost awkward to watch. David Charhon, director, seems to have lost himself in his vision of the film. The action scenes, although supposed to be the strong point of this genre, are poorly choreographed and often confusing. The fights, although fast, lack fluidity and visual impact.
With a cast like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jérôme Le Banner, we had the right to expect more polished and striking action scenes. The sets don’t save the day either. The exteriors smell like a studio, and the excessive use of green backgrounds accentuates this artificial impression. This aesthetic choice harms immersion and removes all credibility from the world of the film. Jean-Claude Van Damme, legendary figure of action cinema, seems strangely disinvested in his role. Although still physically impressive, his game lacks conviction. He seems to be sailing on autopilot, far from the passion that characterized his past performances.
Michaël Youn, for his part, fails to find the right balance between comedy and seriousness. His character, poorly written, oscillates awkwardly between the two registers, leaving an impression of constant overacting. Other members of the cast, like Kaaris or Ragnar the Breton, also struggle to stand out. Their performances oscillate between amateurism and caricature, reinforcing the general impression of a botched project. If the visuals leave something to be desired, the soundtrack doesn’t help either. The background music is more reminiscent of a low-end TV movie than a real cinema production.
At no point does the music succeed in reinforcing the emotions or the atmosphere of the scenes. This is an aspect that could have saved certain sequences, but which, here, turns out to be a total failure. It would be unfair to say that The Gardener is completely devoid of interesting moments. One scene, in particular, manages to stand out from the rest: the one where the action is accompanied by the cult song It’s Raining Men. This unexpected wink brings a welcome touch of lightness. Unfortunately, these rare moments of quality are drowned in an ocean of mediocrity. The Gardener is not the first disappointment for Amazon Prime Video in terms of French production.
We remember disasters like BDE or Amazing Christmas. With a budget that should make it possible to produce quality films, we wonder about the artistic choices of the platform. It seems that Amazon is trying to compete with itself for the title of worst film of the year. With The Gardenerwe are witnessing a real waste of talent. Despite a promising cast, the film collapses under the weight of a weak script, mediocre direction and uneven performances. This film, which could have been a refreshing action comedy, is just one more example of a streaming industry that sometimes relies more on quantity than quality.
If you want to see Jean-Claude Van Damme in action, it’s better to revisit his classics than waste your time with this failed production. In short, The Gardener will be remembered not as a good film, but as a bad film altogether.
Note : 2/10. In short, what if the goal of Amazon Prime Video was to make French people pay for their obligations to produce French fiction? Because after a while, with the quantity of French turnips on the platform, we are entitled to ask questions.
Released on January 10, 2025 directly on Amazon Prime Video
