Frédéric Dard succeeded in forbidding the adaptation of San Antonio for 20 years. It's a shame that someone (Laurent Touil-Tartour) made him change his mind just before his death. Frédéric Dard was right : San Antonio is a jewel to read, not to watch. The scenarist tried to overcome this by melting nearly all the characters of the series and all the usual plots of San-A adventures into a single story. The result is a real mess, and the huge budget pushed it to the bottom of the abyss. LTT put high tempo where savoring was needed, he wrote standard dialogs where it should have been brilliant, he left inconsistent details where perfection was a must. 2 huge errors show how the job was not done seriously : Béru has no consequences of a bullet received at the beginning (a post-filming added dialogs tried to cancel it !), the story ends in the carnival of Rio as it was summer in Paris (the carnival takes place in February...). The casting is not so bad, but what a frustration to see very good actors prisoners of inappropriate writing. Only one reason to thank LTT : as he bought the rights on San-A adaptation, he did it before Bernard Tapie did !
4 Reviews
Excellent !
LeMaudit18 June 2006
this is a fair adaptation of Frederic Dard's novels, most certainly beyond the understanding of a foreigner without a deep knowledge of the French culture. Too bad for them, but very good for an avid San-Antonio reader that want to put some pictures on typical characters found in the books.
Don't even think to compare San-Antonio with James Bond. San-Antonio is the archetype of a rude and sexual obsessed French macho, not your usual Jaaaames. He is just like that in the books, no need to adapt the character to be politically correct for all cultures and viewers. Read the books first, that will help to understand what all this is about.
9/10 for a lot of fun while watching this movie. Please watch it in Widescreen, and in French; subtitles are your friends.
Don't even think to compare San-Antonio with James Bond. San-Antonio is the archetype of a rude and sexual obsessed French macho, not your usual Jaaaames. He is just like that in the books, no need to adapt the character to be politically correct for all cultures and viewers. Read the books first, that will help to understand what all this is about.
9/10 for a lot of fun while watching this movie. Please watch it in Widescreen, and in French; subtitles are your friends.
San Antonio is definitely not James Bond
Red-12516 April 2005
San Antonio (2004), directed by Frédéric Auburtin, was shown at the 2005 Cinefranco Film Festival in Toronto. (www.cinefranco.com)
The film is an uninspired, weak takeoff on the James Bond movies. Bond, of course, is considered highly desirable by the attractive women he meets. San Antonio's attractions are apparently far beyond Bond's level--almost every woman he meets will do whatever San Antonio wishes just for the privilege of a few moments of bliss in his arms.
The film goes beyond being sexist--it's painfully misogynistic in a unpleasant way that I didn't find funny.
The single--but interesting--redeeming feature of the movie was the fact that San Antonio has a partner--Lieutenant Alexandre-Benoît Bérurier, played by Gérard Depardieu.
It's worth the price of admission--almost--to see Depardieu cast against type as the flabby, slothful, bumbling sidekick to the handsome, competent San Antonio.
If you can ignore the plot and concentrate on Depardieu's acting, you could possibly enjoy this film. Otherwise, stay away.
The film is an uninspired, weak takeoff on the James Bond movies. Bond, of course, is considered highly desirable by the attractive women he meets. San Antonio's attractions are apparently far beyond Bond's level--almost every woman he meets will do whatever San Antonio wishes just for the privilege of a few moments of bliss in his arms.
The film goes beyond being sexist--it's painfully misogynistic in a unpleasant way that I didn't find funny.
The single--but interesting--redeeming feature of the movie was the fact that San Antonio has a partner--Lieutenant Alexandre-Benoît Bérurier, played by Gérard Depardieu.
It's worth the price of admission--almost--to see Depardieu cast against type as the flabby, slothful, bumbling sidekick to the handsome, competent San Antonio.
If you can ignore the plot and concentrate on Depardieu's acting, you could possibly enjoy this film. Otherwise, stay away.
a lot to think about while watching,a lot to watch while thinking !!!
torretta27 July 2006
I really like movies like this I guess I better explain my opinion...
In this movie I saw : - action - fun - surprise - a great plot - guns/explosions - fast cars/pretty girls - good actors
that's why this is much better than most American action movies !
it's such an improved 007 movie. there's a lot to think about while watching and there's a lot to watch while u think !!!
people who criticize movies like this better try to understand why they are unable to appreciate it.
It's a huge problem of taste skill,many people are not able to love a good movie anymore
many other action movies are as "original" and "tasty" as a Mac Donalds hamburger is...San Antonio is a real meal,different tastes,maybe you will not like all of them separate from the others,but you will definitely appreciate the whole thing !
:-)
take care
Matt
In this movie I saw : - action - fun - surprise - a great plot - guns/explosions - fast cars/pretty girls - good actors
that's why this is much better than most American action movies !
it's such an improved 007 movie. there's a lot to think about while watching and there's a lot to watch while u think !!!
people who criticize movies like this better try to understand why they are unable to appreciate it.
It's a huge problem of taste skill,many people are not able to love a good movie anymore
many other action movies are as "original" and "tasty" as a Mac Donalds hamburger is...San Antonio is a real meal,different tastes,maybe you will not like all of them separate from the others,but you will definitely appreciate the whole thing !
:-)
take care
Matt
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