This evening, M6 is offering the first broadcast of “Antigang: La Relève”, an anticipated sequel that mixes action and comedy. Carried by Alban Lenoir, this film directed by Benjamin Rocher was initially released in August 2023 on Disney+. This second part revisits the world of the first Antigang while exploring a new dynamic between a father and his daughter.
An eventful return for Alban Lenoir
Eight years later Antigang (2015), Benjamin Rocher returns with Anti-gang : The Reliefa sequel that takes a more personal turn. If the first film focused on the muscular adventures of the team of Serge Buren (played by Jean Reno), this new chapter focuses on Niels Cartier, played by Alban Lenoir, who has since established himself as an essential figure in cinema French action.
The story begins tragically: Niels' companion, Nadia, is killed during a mission. Consumed by grief, Niels abandons his career as a police officer and retrains as a driving school instructor. But his teenage daughter, Charlotte-Serge (Cassiopée Mayance), has a hard time imagining that her father was once a daredevil willing to do anything to stop criminals. It is only when Nadia's murderers resurface that Niels takes up arms again and launches into an eventful investigation, supported by his daughter, who then discovers an unexpected side of her father.
This second opus deviates from the pure action film to adopt a “buddy movie” tone between a father and his daughter. The alchemy between Alban Lenoir and Cassiopée Mayance brings freshness to the story, mixing humor, emotion and action. Director Benjamin Rocher pays homage to American action cinema, notably through references to Lethal Weapon or A Day in Hellwhile infusing a French touch into the dialogues and aesthetics.
An action comedy full of nostalgia
And Anti-gang : The Relief was designed for release on Disney+ rather than in theaters, the film remains nonetheless ambitious in its action scenes. The shootouts, chases and fights are carefully choreographed, although we feel a certain modesty in the budget compared to the first opus. This does not prevent Benjamin Rocher from taking advantage of these constraints to flesh out his characters and deepen the relationships between them.
Alongside Niels Cartier, we find familiar faces like Stéfi Celma, Jean-Toussaint Bernard and Sébastien Lalanne, joined by Sofia Essaïdi in a new role. Jean Reno also makes an appearance, although more in the background, to mark the link with the first film.
The balance between action and comedy, although sometimes awkward, gives rise to memorable moments, notably when Niels, rusty from years away from the field, struggles to regain his reflexes when facing his enemies. This mixture of self-deprecation and explosive scenes allows the film to stand out, while remaining part of a tradition of popular action cinema.
