The bet was not without pitfalls, but the Original Creation of Canal+ entered fully into the adaptations of action franchises, namely the trilogy The Fall of London/The Fall of the White House et The Fall of the Presidentall three with Gerard Butler. Exit his character of Mike Banning, even if Butler remains among the executive producers of the series. Since his arrival a month ago, Paris Has Fallenwhich will conclude on Canal+ on Monday October 28, is in the top 3 most viewed programs on myCANAL. But do we need to catch up on this action series with substantial resources and completely new characters? The CNET editorial team tells you everything you need to know.
What is the cast and crew of Paris Has Fallen?
Tewfik Jallab (Gears) plays Vincent Taleb, the central character of the series. In his investigation, he is joined by the services of Zara, an MI-6 agent played by Ritu Arya, seen in Umbrella Academy. In the role of the antagonist Jacob Pearce, a British actor accustomed to notable supporting roles in cinema: Sean Harris. This serial incarnation with dialogues in French and English is created by Howard Overman, well known to Original Creation since he was at the helm of the adaptation of War of the Worlds with Gabriel Byrne. Finally, the production is shared between Oded Ruskin for the first 4 episodes and Hans Herbots for the rest of the season.
Synopsis of the series
Protection officer Vincent Taleb and MI6 agent Zara Taylor join forces to thwart an attack on the Defense Minister during a reception at the British Embassy in Paris. But very quickly, Vincent and Zara realize that terrorist Jacob Pearce’s plan is much larger and targets the highest levels of the state. Will Vincent and Zara be able to prevent Paris from falling into the hands of this man thirsty for revenge?
CNET France’s opinion
From the opening sequence, that of the attack on the British embassy, Paris Has Fallen assumes its means of a particularly dark action series, cutting short all the superfluous to offer pure adrenaline shots. The production has nothing to envy of the most effective action films, and its careful chases are able to justify the start of the season. The Tewfik Jallab/Ritu Arya tandem works particularly well, even in a dynamic which sees them being distrustful colleagues but who manage to understand each other.
The shadow of a cult series hangs over the project: that of the franchise 24 Hours Chrono and his indestructible Jack Bauer, even if he does not use the same elastic time gimmick. The energy, the false leads and the twists and turns owe a lot to the franchise already broadcast in full at the time on Canal+. With solid points of support, the series has no trouble being followed, especially with a particularly vicious and unpredictable antagonist, which differs slightly from evil geniuses always one step ahead. Anarchy and suffering are Jacob Pearce’s main motivations, which is verified in a particularly bloody end to the first episode.
The series also knows how to take a step back from its status as an action series, by delivering some unexpected character studies on old spies who will find themselves at the center of the plot. A humanizing side, however, served by some very bombastic dynamics and dialogues, which one would swear were translated into approximate French. The series also knows how to hit where it hurts, as the investigation into Pearce reveals dangerous liaisons with unscrupulous arms dealers and a well-concealed military failure.
While Sean Harris is having fun, Emmanuelle Bercot as President of the Republic seems too absent to really give depth to her character. Pitfalls which do not make us forget a very effective use of the capital for brutal sequences, between the Bercy park or the Tuileries. In other words, even if it narrowly misses excellence, Paris Has Fallen turns out to be a well-packaged surprise.
What to watch next Paris Has Fallen?
The two action series closest to this project within the Original Creation of Canal+ are available in full: these are Braquo by and with Olivier Marchal, and B.R.I. of which season 2 will arrive soon.
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