AKA
France, 2023, 122 minutes, Colour.
Alban Lenoir, Eric Cantona, Thibault de Montelembert, Sveva Alviti, Saidou Camara, Lucille Guillaume, Kevin Layne, Hugo Dillon.
Directed by Morgan S. Dalibert.
The title indicates that this is an action drama about undercover agents, also known as…
The film is quite exciting, action French style. The opening is particularly striking, exotic, Africa, a dangerous situation, a reversal of roles, the targeting of the villain, the escape of the hero. That is just a prologue, as the hero, Adam Franco (Alban Lenoir, who appears in many action films including the two Lost Bullet actioners as well is American films, Taken, Erased) meets his controller, is given a new target. The situation is quite complex, the target a drug dealer from the Sudan, linked with the businessman Victor Pastore at footballer turned actor, Eric Cantona).
Adam, a loner with no connections, is shown ingratiating himself with the businessman, getting a job as part of security, some camaraderie with the others while asserting his toughness and independence. In the background is the businessman’s family, his alienation from his wife who runs prostitution under the cover of his club but who is in league with a rival gangster, his disaffected student daughter, and his little son who forms a bond with Adam. When the rival gangster abducts the boy, Adam has to juggle between his infiltration and getting information about his target and rescuing the boy.
Which leads to quite a lot of action and fighting.
There is a switch of sympathy at the end of the film when Adam finds his Sudanese target and finds that all is not as he has been told – that the target is innocent, a victim, come to Paris for an operation on his sick daughter, and the government Minister who has hired Adam actually wants to get rid of the target with whom he had dealings in the past, shady dealings.
Audiences who like this kind of undercover action story will find a great deal to enjoy in AKA.
1. The title, indication of undercover agents, identities, challenge to identity, assuming identities, keeping cover, dangers?
2. The opening, the North African setting, the operation, the introduction to Adam Franco? The situation, undercover, tracking down criminals, dangers, violence?
3. The French settings, the city, government offices, drug dealers, mansions, schools, outings and fairs? Clubs, streets, locations for violence? The musical score?
4. The film indicating the dangers for undercover agents, assuming a personality, keeping consistent, judging situations, relationships, but all the time detecting, communicating? The employment of undercover agents? Here the controlling agent, the liaison with the government Minister?
5. The story of Adam Franco, age, personality, background, individual, individualist? Seeing him in the initial action? The discussions with Kruger? The new target, the background of the Sudan? France and the colonial connections? Business deals? Allies? Drug dealers and their wealth? Adam inserted into this context? The effect on him personally? And the two agents covering him, observing from their cars? The dangers for them? Leading to their deaths, Mona, wounded, the information to Adam?
6. Victor Pastore, his past, dealings, secrecy, links? The Sudan? His wealth, his second wife, no love lost, her work with the prostitutes, the club and the cover, the clients? The daughter, rebellious, the studies? The young boy, his age, growing up in this situation?
7. Adam, the interview with Victor, Adam’s techniques, ingratiating, yet tough, no holds barred, his being employed? Meeting the other members of the group, challenging the authority of the head security guard, his being warned? Interactions with the others, a certain camaraderie?
8. Pee Wee, his place in the household, security, his friendship with Adam, communications? His connections with Moktar?
9. Moktar, the Sudanese background, being targeted, Adam to find him, that he was back in France, the link with Victor, the drug dealing?
10. The series of action sequences, Adam and his defending the fellow security guards, further ingratiating himself, getting more responsibilities?
11. The human touch, bonding with the little boy, the criticisms of Helene, driving the boy to school, clashes about picking him up? The birthday, the boxing and the boy enjoying the practice, Adam and his advice?
12. Amet and the other thugs and gangsters in the city, Victor’s wife and her connection, to betray him? The violence, the abduction of the boy?
13. Adam, Helene, liking Adam, trusting him, wanting him to help? His behaviour towards her?
14. His being on guard, if the challenge of the abduction, his going into action, the fights, the rescue?
15. The alert, the group detecting that he was undercover, the fights, the dangers?
16. Adam finally tracking down Moktar, the presence of Pee Wee, Adam and the confrontation, the twist in the plot, the revelation about Moktar, his being the target of the Minister, concern about his daughter, the operation, his being in France? The explanation, his killing himself? Pee Wee and his working with Adam, the rescue of the daughter?
17. The final violence, the shootouts?
18. The Minister, the revelation, his motivations, his connections with his officials, with Kruger, targeting Adam?
19. The ending, the newspapers, the expose of the Minister?
