Subway (1985)

Film Review: "Subway" (1985)Even though performers Isabelle Adjani and Christopher Lambert make a beautiful as stylish match, director Luc Besson's debut feature stays in emotional, restraining darkness of missing a point of living within the Parisian "Metro", when thrills are limited alongside supporting characters, portrayed by Richard Bohringer as the best scenes-giving "Le fleurist" and Michel Galabru (1922-2016) as Commissaire Gesberg always on the rush to catch leading character Fred as actor Christopher Lambert keeps the cool but in retrospective has not been tested enough by 25-year-old Luc Besson, who just uses an cinematic kaleidoscope of infinite ideas, clashing them, within never-seen-the-light-of-day scenes as "Subway" concludes at a slowly-received close to a 100-Minute-Editorial by editor Sophie Schmit, which then Luc Besson wisely exchanged to promoted editor Olivier Mauffroy, departing from life in 2013, for his first great motion picture "Le gran blue"; in reminiscene staying the opening spectacle of Cannes 1988.Copyright 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC

Luc Besson was one of the leading directors of the French cinema movement which was to go on to be referred to as cinéma du look. These films tended to favour style over substance and were a direct response to the 'quality' cinema of France at that time, which tended to focus on realism and avoided 'vulgar' cinematic spectacle. With Subway, Besson delivered what can only be described as a textbook example of what cinéma du look was all about. Like several of its peers it has a somewhat weak story but its slick presentation and consistent quirkiness meant that the ropey narrative was relegated to the margins. Events focus on a thief called Fred who steals important documents from a member of the Paris elite while attending a birthday party for a bored socialite called Héléna, the wife of the high flyer. After being pursued by henchmen, he winds up hiding in the hidden depths of the Paris Métro where he encounters a secret community of social outcasts who live there. In the meantime, police and gangsters seek Fred, while he embarks on a dangerous love affair with Héléna.The story is wilfully absurd and is pretty far from realistic. So what we have is an unashamedly cinematic piece of work. The idea of an underground culture compromising of disenfranchised youths living on the fringes of society is a common one for these types of movies. Like others in its sub-category Subway also has a strong focus on imagery, with characterisation very stylised also. Consequently, this isn't really a film for showcasing acting, with Christopher Lambert certainly looking the part at least and Isabelle Adjani doing as much as she can with the material. There is an English dubbed version out there, which is quite commonly available. It really is to be avoided though as the dubbing is quite poor and really affects the performances even further – seek out the original French language version for sure. But ultimately, Subway is a film that never relies on its paper-thin characters and ropey story-line; its appeal is in its stylisation and quirks. The camera-work is often very good and some of the action-oriented sequences such as the opening car chase and the various pursuits through the Métro are handled very well indeed and are an early indicator that Besson was a great director of stylised action, which he perfected later in the likes of Nikita (1990) and Léon (1994). The other notable feature of Subway is its eccentric quirkiness, which is typified by more or less all the characters to some degree, from the roller-skating thief, to the body-builder who works out with subway parts and the inept cops called Batman and Robin. And that is not to mention the whole plot strand about the rock band formed from Subway musicians, which takes quirkiness to new levels. Also, I reckon Subway has to be one of the most 80's films of all time, from the haircuts, to the fashions and the music – this is a film that screams out 80's at every turn. Despite its deficiencies in story and characters, this one gets by on its over-the-top style. It's so bold in its execution and so unashamedly daft, that it's a film that is quite difficult to dislike. The best way to approach this one would be to not think too much and just accept its strange logic; if you can manage that, there's fun to be had here.

I was in high school when subway came out and it ran at the rep theater in my town. the first foreign and subtitled movie I even saw. It changed my life-I fell in love Christopher Lambert, car chases, foreign film and the buwaunwaun of the bass. I saw it 6 times on the big screen. All grown up now and its been a long time but I watched it again and loved it just the same. In no way is it a perfect movie, but in that is its strength. the kwirkyness of the story and characters blended with the atmospheric soundtrack creates a fun modern day twisted fairytale - a rare movie. a worthy movie. Like all good french cheese, a little stinky but thats what makes it all the better

I love French cinema, just so you know. However... This movie has no plot, no character development, no vision, and no coherence. It starts nowhere and goes nowhere. It doesn't so much "end" as much as it just "stops". I own this film on DVD, and I can't even give it away because I'd feel responsible for whoever else would watch it. Besson is a master. Even the masters can craft some dreck. This is a terrible, terrible, terrible film.