Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch

Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

tiger jack One of the finest films ever made. Some say not as good as the first; some also say a good movie, but an unnecessary remake; I say it is even better than the first (that is saying A LOT) and completely necessary. The first 'The French Connection' was a classic of its time; completely deserving of its many awards; and masterfully directed demonstrating both the typical life of NYC Narcotics cops and the many losses which come with the war on drugs, ultimately questioning the utility of the war at all. It was much more 'story-telling' based and much slower than its sequel 'French Connection II.' In this movie, Gene Hackman excels even further, and the move shifts from an excellent telling of a non fiction story to a dark, gritty character study of our anti hero 'Popeye.' In a sense, the sequel is necessary because it completes the character development of Popeye and it shows how much he is willing to lose in his desperate pursuit of Charnier. The fiction element of the sequel allowed for the opportunity to make it conclude in style and the movie was otherwise well balanced as either entertaining or difficult to watch at times due to its graphic depiction of drug use, which is a balance very difficult to strike effectively. The chemistry between Popeye and the French detective was wonderful. The acting is super superb. The movie is essentially flawless, and it adds so much to the first movie by the very nature of engaging in an in depth study of Popeye. It is one of the best crime dramas ever made, and it is disappointing to see that it has not received as much attention by awards critics or the public in general.Maybe it is too difficult to watch for some, or maybe it is too 'different' to its predecessor and it causes too much dismay. However, for me, it was completely unique, and executed with perfection, and could not have been a better fit to a fiction ending to a non fiction story! In my opinion, 'The French Connection' and 'French Connection II' together, as one, make for one of the most memorable Hollywoodised detective films of all time. No matter how much time passes or how old it gets, they will always be remembered as classics, each for their own reasons, for me.

Shawn Watson In this vastly underrated sequel (the first true Hollywood '2') Popeye travels to (more like discarded to) Marseilles after his crushing defeat at the end of the first film. The recovered heroin was stolen right out of the police evidence and made it to the street regardless, lining the pockets of Popeye's crooked colleagues. That's the price you pay for being honest.The French don't want him and make no attempts to hide their discourteousness as Popeye hits the streets, desperately looking for the elusive 'Frog 1'. His tough-guy schtick may have worked in the Big Apple but in France he's hopelessly incompetent and way out of his depth. Calling him a fish out of water is to put it lightly.Instead of being a carbon copy of the original, FCII takes a radical turn in the second act as Charnier captures Popeye and turns him into a junkie, the thing he hates even more than criminals. Near-death, and humiliated by Charnier even further, Popeye undergoes a harrowing withdrawal, going cold turkey in a French police cell while his partner looks after him (there ain't no gratitude though). Barely waiting two seconds to regain his strength, the hunt is back on to finally get revenge on Charnier.John Frankenheimer's take on the story is much slower and drama-orientated than the quick, raw energy of the first. Going deeper into Popeye Doyle's unstable, edgy personality makes it more of a character study and a bit of an epic when compared to what William Friedkin gave us.The ending may be as abrupt as the first, but it wastes no time in winding down the story. FCII might have the best, sudden climax of any movie ever made.Don't misjudge it as a 'same again' sequel, it's very different and is brave enough to take the character and story is a bold direction. Frankenheimer's career was full of underrated efforts, but FCII is the best of them.

souther02 Ah, yes, another 70's movie that loses its luster alongside Miami Vice and Bad Boys. What am I? A wise guy? Guess that's true.French Connection II is a lot different from The French Connection. It was neither a better or worse movie. It was different, and one reason is that Roy Scheider was not there. French Connection was set and filmed in the port town of Marseilles.Ben "Popeye" Doyle does not have a lot going for him, at the beginning and for most of the movie. He is greeted by a police chief(Bernard Fresson) who is dressing fish at a dock with a dozen or more of his men who are all doing the same. Barthelemy finds out he has been had, that what he is looking for among all the fish is not there, that it's an April Fool's joke. What Doyle finds out after a little cordiality is that Doyle is not wanted in Marseilles. Barthelemy points out to Popeye that a lot of men are lost in the shootout at Charnier's drop point in New York. Popeye is there in Marseille to get Charnier no matter what, even after the bloodbath back in New York. But Popeye's hands are tied---Barthelemy only allows Doyle to be an observer. Knowing Inspector Doyle's aggressiveness and furtive agreement with himself(and the devil if it means that), it's a foregone conclusion that Doyle will go after the heroin trafficker. If you know the other movie. Doyle is a loose cannon. But he is a smart cop, a good shot, and being in France does not faze him. After all, Ben Doyle is a New York cop.If any film proves Hackman's worth as an actor, his artistry as a performer comes shining through when Doyle is shot with heroin. The realism of a heroin user under the influence is evident as Hackman falls deeply under the drug's spell. He is like a person who has had a lot..He has no strength, he has no desire really, to get up off the bed. How he comes to get the junk is something to find out elsewhere ..I like finding out first hand.Later, when Hackman is coming off the stuff, there is a little comedy as Hackman talks to the chief. The detective's withdrawals are authentic, as is his derision toward the police chief. But soon Popeye Doyle is back on the case, fit as ever, and with the blessings of Barhtelemy --but not entirely.A tight film, with some nice sights on the way. And no violins in the background. Popeye does not miss out on the femmes. He doesn't not miss much, period.

TheLittleSongbird The French Connection is a superb cop flick, that manages to be both sharp and gritty. French Connection II is not only a worthy sequel, it is a fine if slightly inferior one too. While it does have an initially slow set up, when the film gets going it is every bit as exciting as the original. The film does look great with a visual style that is a little grittier but in keeping with its predecessor. Don Ellis's music adds to the atmosphere and style, the story is enough to draw you enough with an interesting plot point with Doyle and a disturbing sequence involving his withdrawal after being forcibly addicted and there is a cracking script and great direction. Gene Hackman is also brilliant with his acting in the cold turkey scenes among the best he has ever done, and while the ending is abrupt in a way due to its sharpness and thoughtfulness this abruptness works. Overall, a fine sequel and perfect to go with a superb first film. 8/10 Bethany Cox