French Connection II

Much weaker than the previous one. Still, the scene where Hackman kicks his drug habit is unforgettable. The rest is just average that you will soon forget. (28/09/2003)

The sequel suffers a bit on a few levels. First, I missed the presence of Roy Scheider. He really had a good chemistry with Hackman, so this absence is a significant issue. The second problem is that the plot didn’t captivate me as much. Sure, watching Hackman struggle with heroin addiction and his long detox process had its moments (the guy is an acting beast!), but I missed the main storyline, which ended up taking a backseat. On the other hand, John Frankenheimer definitely didn’t drop the ball behind the camera. Although we didn’t have the thrilling car chase in retro cars this time, the naturalistic ending, where Popeye Doyle chases the main villain and struggles for breath, was quite gripping, I admit… Especially those first-person perspective shots… So, in reality, the second installment also benefited from unconventional camera work. And the ending was genuinely satisfying. For me, it’s a 6.5/10. (07/09/2023)

At times, it seemed to me that the film simply lacked any pace, as if it was dragging on without any direction. Gene Hackman gives a great performance as if the whole film is about him and his character, not about solving a case whose outcome I didn't care much about. The first film didn't completely blow me away, but it's still significantly better compared to this one. (26/05/2016)