I, mint Ikarusz

Yves Montand might not have always been on my radar as a top-tier actor, but this film quickly changed that. This film is a stellar example of why French cinema in the 70s and 80s was so compelling. It’s a masterfully crafted political thriller — simple yet incredibly clever. The score is outstanding, courtesy of a genre legend, and the twist at the end absolutely floored me. (2021.12.05)

Although I really like some of his directorial work, I generally have a problem with Henri Verneuil, I usually find his films quite naive with a logic that often takes a holiday. This is the case here, too, unfortunately, and I found the much-praised scientific experiment naive; and the lure of Morricone was absolutely untapped. My attention in this cold, verbose procedural was held only by my favourite Yves Montand, who was never a Belmondo or Delon type star, but his charisma and acting skills were unquestionable (e.g. he was absolutely riveting in The Confession). And the final twist? Well... it didn’t knock me down, but that ending IS impressive. (2022.01.12)

The investigation of the JFK assassination without JFK. The apparent similarity, or what Vian says in the opening of the film, that just because it apparently didn’t happen doesn’t mean that it could not have happened that way, is not coincidental. Leaving aside that conspiracy angle on the JFK realities, even purely on its own it's a disturbing, detached procedural thriller par excellence. The most famous passage is the chilling performance of the Milgram experiment; and rightly so. A proven "Verneuil" genre quality that has lost none of its relevance. (2022.10.22)

One shooter is often a lone wolf with psychological issues; two shooters are a conspiracy. While the creators were careful not to set it in a specific time and place, the Dallas intro and the name of the assassin hinted more than enough. I could have imagined a somewhat more intelligent script, but there are a few aspects that engage with the idea of obedience to authority. The emphasis on procedural elements, the atmosphere of Pakula's American paranoias from the 1970s, the placement of interior and exterior scenes in modern architecture like Brasília (actually the French Gercy with the "popsicle" Tour EDF-GDF), and the expected ending, where the wax on the wings finally melted away. (2021.11.30)

I like how the term "Yves Montand in a political thriller" is practically a sub-genre of French cinema in its own right, offering a lot of very engaging and high-quality productions, of which this is definitely one. I for Icarus is a structurally interesting thriller, interspersed with several relatively straightforward expositions that uncover a background of political crime, each of which is unique, suspenseful, and at the same time very literally enlightening. The discerning viewer will anticipate the vigorous conclusion, even though it certainly does not detract from the movie's impact. (2021.11.29)