BASTILLE DAY
Dir: James Watkins (15, 92 mins)
Idris Elba does CIA agent action, (Bond anyone?) teaming up with Game of Thrones’ Richard Madden in this Euro pudding thriller. Unfortunately rather timely, Elba hunts terrorists in Paris, with the help of pickpocket artist Madden after he accidentally steals a bomb in a bag. Cue chases across Parisian rooftops with dodgy CGI, some blistering car smashes, Idris kicking down doors and refusing to take orders from his bosses and some not convincing comedy banter between him and Madden. It seems a solid enough affair, James Watkins, the director of The Woman in Black and the disturbing Eden Lake, doing what he can with well-worn material, but ultimately this still feels like a straight to DVD thriller. Also the queasy subject of bombing Paris on Bastille Day takes some fun out of what is essentially a Liam Neeson-esque action flick. C’est ok.