Ares (2016)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2016
	Director: Jean-Patrick Benes
	Actors: Ola Rapace, Micha Lescot, Thierry Hancisse
	Country: F
	Genre: Action, SF
	Conditions of visioning: 07.06.2017, VOD, 10" tablet screen
Synopsis: In a world where corporations rule, Ares (Rapace) still fights in Arenas to survive ten years after an accident provoked by doping drugs, legally administrated by the pharmaceutical corporations to their sponsored fighters. His niece Anouk rebels against the Corporations' dictatorship.
Review: FINALLY a good French movie that kicks some ass and that is not pretentious. I found that it depicts a possible future Paris in a much better way than the recent Virtual Revolution does (although still too close in time), first via a short narrated introduction and then subtly via chatting and news messages (ahah, China decides to increase its help to the poor Europe). Some digitally enhanced cityscapes of Paris further set the oppressing atmosphere in which Ares survives. Making this movie may have been motivated by the current popularity of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), but its fans were probably disappointed because the fights are few, short and lack of ... punch. I on the contrary like the movie because it refuses the follow the classic boxing movie underdog storyline with a challenger first defeated and then making a comeback (well the recent Million Dollar Baby or the classic Rocky don't follow it either). Instead we follow the fate of a handful of characters prisoners of this society. In that case fewer is better, and all characters are thus interesting. So to summarize the story surprised me, I love the characters and Ares packs its message in an efficient hour and a half. And the movie ends with a cover of Tear for Fears' Mad World which brought back Donnie Darko to my memory. I want to see more such French movies.
Rating: 8 /10