Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

John Brooks This here is a resounding example that style and cinematography alone, even in the most classic and classy setting, won't ever make up for a film's plot and development shortcomings.Alain Delon is the samurai, and the little bird in his cage he's got in his lonely sleazy apartment continually letting out a monotonous shriek is an echoing mirror of his own solitude and separation from the regular life. He's dressed in a classic trench-coat and hat, and wears that classic film-noir mug on his face the whole film: impassible, unchanging and emotionless. The film also does a good job at playing into the more technical details of the action: the detective work and the strategies and intricacies employed by the many various parties involved to get what they want.Stylistically the film has a somewhat romantic feel to it, with a surprisingly novel and modern soundtrack for that time: superbly composed mixing modern organ tones with an older and grander baroque style; while visually the film is very grim, and intentionally very silent: the entire opening chunk is deliberately scriptless for a good portion, as to set a terribly sober film-noir atmosphere. The film leaves a visual impression of monochromatic vistas, strongly grey-ish and a discreet pale.The dialog is very good as well and properly conducted in key-scenes requiring a strong onscreen presence from its actors: Delon, Périer, Delon's wife...all do well and put in a very believable shift. It should also be noted there's a lot of implied, unsaid language at work: long eye contact between characters, lengthy wordless scenes showing a character on his own...all of which convey meaning, that bit more subtly.The problem though is it's a film that works for about an hour and fifteen, but then struggles to gather enough momentum to keep the enthusiasm going. We're sold what the story is about and what the film is in its essence well before the end, so why go on that much longer when all the goods have been exposed ? It seems to lag and drag its plot to the very last scene, which really does seem far from reach. They surely could've helped it with the pacing past that hour mark, and they certainly could've added more elements to strengthen the plot (another character ? another subplot ? less linear predictable development...) and give the viewer incentive for his full attention. Considering its legendary/cult status, it's certainly overrated - for despite its obvious qualities, it bears obvious faults that aren't negligible as a whole. It's good, but certainly not anywhere near transcendent, and ultimately it's too long and hollow for its own good: the plot is just too bare and simple - stretches out too long.6/10.

Woodyanders Strictly businesslike contract killer Jef Costello (the supremely handsome and commanding Alain Delon, who's the very essence of stoic cool) pulls off a hit that's witnessed by several people. This in turn puts Jef in a precarious bind in which he must rectify the situation as quickly and quietly as possible or else the ever present and pesky police will close in on him.Ably directed with striking austerity by Jean-Pierre Melville, who also co-wrote the tightly constructed script with Georges Pellegrin, with a mesmerizing wordless ten minute opening sequence, a spare moody score by Francois de Roubaix, a cold and detached tone, sly touches of humor, gorgeously glossy cinematography by Henri Decae, a deceptively simple and straightforward narrative that unfolds at a deliberate pace, laconic dialogue, and a strong undercurrent of despair and melancholy (Jef's lonely existence gives this picture an unexpectedly poignant quality), this film not only works as a glorious celebration of smooth elegant style and pure cinema with a refreshing noted emphasis on poetic visuals over long-winded scenes of people talking, but also serves as a potent and provocative existential meditation on fate and destiny. Moreover, Delon's assured and charismatic presence keeps this picture humming; he receives sturdy from Francois Perrier as a determined and calculating police detective, Nathalie Delon as Jef's loyal accomplice Jane Lagrange, and Cathy Rosier as chic pianist femme fatale Valerie. Essential viewing.

JLRVancouver If you read the extreme ends of the IMDb reviews of Le Samouraï, you can likely guess whether you are going to like it or not. The film is extremely understated, slow moving and, at times, almost surreal in its minimalism, so don't expect an action film or even a slow but elaborate 'analytical' game of cat and mouse between a brilliant cop and an equally brilliant criminal. Similar to 2010's 'The American' (a film with a similar review polarity), Le Samouraï, is about the killer, not the killing, and the 'plot' is secondary, simplistic and not (IMHO) particularly satisfying. Delon's character, despite being an established professional hit-man, walks in to a crowded bar in full view of staff and patrons, shoots a man in an office with a non-suppressed revolver, gets picked up in a dragnet but then gets off the hook because the key witness lies to the police. He then spends much the rest of the movie being pursued around Paris but never makes any attempt to alter his appearance (or even change his clothes). Overall, I liked Le Samouraï as a stylistic Gallic ode to American gangster movies, but acknowledge that it is not a movie that seems to work at a lot of levels – deep: yes; superficially: disappointing. Too bad Melville and Delon never collaborated on a remake of the Maltese Falcon or The Big Sleep or some other tightly-plotted potboiler – the combination of Euro-style and Yankee-story might have been outstanding.

Ore-Sama Much like Hitchcock, Melville had an assembly line of masterpieces, with most film makers lucky to have even one film on any of their levels. Both film makers also made their most career defining films closer to the end of their run. In Hitchcock's case, it was the 1960 film, "Psycho". In Melville's case, it was 1967's "Les Samurai", among the most influential films ever made. Not only did it inspire imitators on an international level (such as "The Driver"), but director's entire filmographies, such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorcesse and John Woo, owe a debt to this one movie.The first shot has Jeff Costello, our lead, laying in a smoke filled room, before we go on a step by step process as he gets ready for his next job in a dialogue free 10 minutes where we soak in the look and mood. A greyish look to what is otherwise a colorful film, often with the only accompanying noise being foot steps across the pavement, inserting music only where fitting, without breaking the mood. This is in addition to each beautifully composed shot.Jeff carries out his hit, killing a night club owner, but is rounded up in an intense twenty minute sequence where the police, try to find the killer among the line. Of course it's too early in the film for Costello to be taken to prison, we realize as a viewer, but the suspense comes in knowing Jeff killed the man and going step by step as the police at first are only going through person by person, but begin to suspect Costello and use every tactic they can to try and implicate him. I won't spoil how he gets out, but trust me when I say even on repeat viewings, the tension of this entire part does not falter.Although let go, he is trailed by the police and sought after by former employer, who fear him getting caught and ratting them out to police. For much of the movie we are treated to a cat and mouse game where he evades both sides constantly, whether through a memorable sub way chase or an almost western style shoot out. Smooth editing and tight pacing combine with the great visuals to create a brisk thriller that despite often being free of dialogue, never gets dull and never overstays it's welcome. Melville is a master of detail, going through things step by step (whereas most would cut out many details), only piling on the suspense. There's also many little touches, such as how we almost never see Costello draw his gun, it just is suddenly in his hands (in most cases anyway).Now I could talk about the aesthetics of this movie for longer, but one common quip about this film is that it is style more than substance. Now I won't deny style is a big part of the appeal, but I don't feel the film is lacking. It's a simple story, but effective. Not just for the crime thriller aspects, but Jeff himself, played with cold calculation as well as subtle intimidation by Alan Demoine. He talks very little, and his motivations are ambiguous. It's comically common for a movie to be called existential simply because it's arty, but in this case it applies. Jeff's motives are never made entirely clear. We are left only to try and interpret what he's thinking at any given time, only knowing he is driven by some inner code of conduct. Ultimately this is what the movie is about, not the cops, not the double cross, but Jeff himself. He is a fascinating character and one could talk endlessly about what drives him and what the ending was about.If you can appreciate films driven more by suspense than action, more vague than explained, such as "Bullit", "Point Blank", "The French Connection", etc. than "Le Samurai" is up your alley.