Retired Marseilles crime kingpin Jean Reno is shot by a hit squad that puts 22 bullets in him. Who ordered the hit, and why? Police officer Marina Fois, whose husband was killed in the line of duty, is put in charge of the investigation. Reno refuses to answer any questions, walks out of the hospital, and disappears. Soon his old associates start dropping dead, and his old friend Kad Merad orders all-out war.

Jean Gabin could have played this role once upon a time, but no one has any reason to complain about Reno's performance as the world-weary gangster with a moral code. It's set in Marseilles, and that 2600-year-old city shows its age.

For those who complain they don't make 'em like that any more, here's proof they do.

Charly Matteï was a notorious Marseilles gangster until one day he gave up his life of crime to enjoy a peaceful life with his wife and two children. All goes well for three years then his past catches up with him and he is gunned down in a car park. They leave him for dead with twenty two bullets in him… unfortunately for them they didn't make sure he was dead. He gradually recovers and pays a visit to his attackers and tells them that he will kill them all… not straight away though; they will have to live in fear for a while first. He also intends to go after the man who ordered the hit; his former friend Tony Zacchia. Of course Zacchia still wants Charly dead and also goes after his friends. If that weren't enough police officer Marie Goldman wants to find the man responsible for her husband's murder by an unknown gangster.

This is a solid revenge thriller. The attack on Charly is brutal as are many of the later killings. From the moment Charly is shot the tension is high right to the end. There is plenty of action; including car chases, shootouts and a kidnapping. Charly may have a moral code but none of those who tried to kill him is safe; his enemies have no such code and will target anybody to get to Charly. Jean Reno carries the film as Charly but his isn't the only good performance; the rest of the cast are pretty solid too. The film makes good use of its South of France setting especially as Charly, on a motorbike, is chased by two carloads of gunmen. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of Jean Reno or anybody who enjoys revenge thrillers.

These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles.

So this is an action-drama-thriller, where Jean Reno is the bad ass. It's a bit slow at times, but it is also pretty brutal when it has to be. I love brutality in these kinds of movies. Well, it's not super brutal, not trying to get your hopes up, but there is blood.

It's a revenge-flick, and those are very often quite entertaining. This is, also. Jean Reno is good, (I always get a kick out of seeing him, because he looks like one of my old teachers) You get the feeling he is not the type you mess with.

The movie is well shot, and production values are good. You get the feeling that professionals are involved here. (should be a given right, but it's not) Even though it does nothing wrong, I don't think it's great either. It lacks something to make it real awesome. But it's entertaining.