BASTION 36/SQUAD 36

France, 2025, 124 minutes, Colour.

Victor Belmondo, Tewfik Jalian, Yvan Attal Juliette Dol, Soufiane Guerrab.

Directed by Olivier Marchal.

Straightforward title, focus on a police squad, action, criminals, police corruption, cover-ups… In the French action style. Strong production values – but, the intricacies of the plot and characterisations sometimes defy credibility.

The film begins with quite a spectacular chase, the confrontation with the chief criminal and his defying of the officer who corners him. But, no arrest. The film then shows the officer participating in quite brutal bareknuckle fights, indicating skills he will have to use during the rest of the film. He has also been demoted. However, he is a dashing presence on screen at times, Victor Belmondo, and his surname gives an alert. He is a grandson of Jean-Paul Belmondo.

There are quite some complications in the squad, the passing on of information, big money deals, some greed, betrayals, and everything getting too much for one of the members of the squad who disappears from a mental institution.

Eventually, there are set ups, confrontations, betrayals, murders, the police authorities, including veteran Yvan Attal, who do not want any public scandals. The film is presented by Netflix – and is kind of Netflix streaming night in.

1. The title, indications and expectations? French police, action, criminals, police corruption?
2. The city settings, the streets, the chases, the confrontations, offices, homes, bare knuckle fighting? Atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The initial chase, the role of the police, action spectacle? Antoine, his role, personality, the confrontation with Mahmoud? Backing off? No shootings? The setup for the future?
4. The focus on Antoine, the authorities and their attitude, his membership of the squad, his violence, being stood down? The bareknuckle fight sequences? Time passing, the transfer, working with the other police?
5. The situation, the criminal connections, drugs, money, deals, the corrupt police? Suspicions within the squad? Richard Esteves, his change of heart, in the institution, Antoine’s visit, seeing the former policeman getting his advice and information? Tracking down his fellow officers, finding Esteves?
6. The other members, suspicions, actions, home sequences? Yet the violence, the killings, betrayals?
7. Antoine, involvement, tracking down Esteves, with the officials, with Mahmoud and the confrontation?
8. Popular entertainment, police action, police corruption, betrayals?