Marseille

Netflix's first European huge project, which has the impressive genius loci Marseille at its disposal and is not afraid to use it properly. But sadly it follows well-known pattern of predictability, so you will see everything you would expect from quality TV, such as corruption plotting from, stabbing knives in each other’s back, comprehensive approach across all social strata. However, if it doesn't just tick off the mandatory check boxes which you know well from elsewhere and it starts to be a little more by original. It is kind of a mix of overseas, Boss, Suburry and Franck previous political series. There is not much to complain about. Perhaps only a constant and almost ridiculous "increasing stakes" through wannabe dramatic eclipses/transitions with a really tense musical undertone and silly slow scenes. The cast of the main roles is a great match (led, of course, by the Gargantuan style Depardieu). Performance of a few supporting characters is rather average. In any case, a decent and exceptional movie with a slower opening, the biggest problem of which is that considering this genre department they could have done much better job. And especially in France there have been made some really good series in recent years, so the quality bar is set higher. But what deserves a special mention (and overrides the quality of the series as such) is insanely stylish theme song. (08.05.2016)