"Dobermann" review

Dobermann (1997)

Directed by Jan Kounen
Writing credits Joël Houssin

Vincent Cassel .... Yann Le Pentrec aka Dobermann
Tchéky Karyo .... Inspecteur Sauveur Cristini
Monica Bellucci .... Nathalie/Nat the gipsy
Antoine Basler .... Jean-Claude Ayache, dit "Moustique"
Dominique Bettenfeld .... Elie Frossard, dit "l'abbé"
Pascal Demolon .... Lefèvre

I borrowed “Dobermann” from a poker playing friend of mine. Let’s call him the Gambler. He knows when to hold them and when to fold them. And he also knows when to make a mean Jack and Coke. He said “Dobermann” was so good that he went out to the Egyptian theater in Hollywood to check it out. That was enough endorsement for me. I needed a good action flick and “Dobermann” sounded like the ticket.

“Dobermann” is about a bank robbing crew led by Dobermann, (Vincent Cassel). He’s being tracked by a sadistic cop named Kristini, (Karyo). Dobermann has got Monica Bellucci as his girlfriend so he must be doing something right. Kristini doesn’t care who he hurts/maims/kills to get to Dobermann and spends the rest of the movie hunting him down. That about sums up the movie. It’s a thin plot but just enough to hang their fast paced action sequences on.

As action flicks go, “Dobermann” is a cool flick. You know you’re in for a treat when the movie starts off with a giant animated dog pissing on some of the credits. Right away, you know this movie just wants to kick you in the head. There are two big action scenes. The first is a bloody bank robbery and the last one is a drawn out shootout in a club. There’s not a lot of wasted time in “Dobermann”. It goes straight from one action scene to the next.

So if you’re looking for a hyper French action flick, (and who isn’t?), check out “Dobermann”. It’s a good time waiting to happen.

SCORE: 3 out of 4 Dobermanns