Paris, the near future. The city is divided into three zones: the central Zone 1 where the elite live is surrounded by Zone 2, where the majority of the population live and work, and Zone 3, home to the underclass who scrape a living as best they can. Checkpoints ensure that movement between these zones is restricted to those who have the authority to do so.
Policing is carried out using facial recognition technology and tracking bracelets that everyone must wear when outside their home, and all is under the control of a predictive AI system, ALMA, that provides computer-generated possible scenarios that are rated on a probability scale.
The opening sequence sees the assassination of a man in Zone 1 – a man who turns out to be ALMA’s creator. The hunt for his killer is led by Zone 2 high-flyer Salia (Adele Exarchopoulos) and jaded veteran Zone 3 officer Zem (Gilles Lellouche). In true “mismatched buddy” movie style their dislike of each other grows into respect and even a kind of friendship.
Initially, the blame is placed on resistance group Breakwalls, but as Salia and Zem dig deeper, they find a much more frightening explanation. While it is true to say that there is not a great deal of originality here, the straight-ahead, fast-moving thriller genre is a good way for director Cedric Jiminez to reach a greater number of viewers for his take on the AI debate.
His “keep things moving” technique is matched by a script with little or no fat, and by two excellent leads in Exarchopoulos and Lellouche. A film that manages to be both a popcorn movie and thought-provoking, you can enjoy the thrill of the chase while watching, and ponder the future it presents afterwards.
Edinburgh screening: Filmhouse 27th November 18:00
Jim Welsh
Radio Summerhall Arts 