Der Erpresser

This movie is slow, boring and predictable. Apparently it was initially created for unpretentious and stupid audience.

At every turn of the plot you wonder how could the criminal be so dumb to leave such a trail of damning evidence behind and how the police can be even dumber not figuring it out.

I never saw Alain Delone being so bored in any of his many movies. Probably he understood that he's taking part in creating a real cinematographic dreck.

What can people do to draw people's attention?Some go as far as to kill their fellow men to achieve that;

Louis ,a humble craftsman, inherits a lot of money.He's got fortune,but he wants fame too.He has his friend Einstein(sic) take photographs of him among crowds of celebrities.He sends them to the Police and threatens to commit crime as "Armaguedon".

Alain Jessua was certainly one of the most underrated of the French directors of that era:"traitement de choc" (probably his most successful effort)"les chiens" and "paradis pour tous" all ventured off the beaten track;they were sometimes close to sci-fi. While "Armaguedon" seems more realistic,it is an absorbing thriller.

I have always compared Alain Jessua's filmography with Serge Leroy's one; interesting topics which analysed very brilliantly and in the best intelligent way the problems of the modern world, or human nature. And they often used the thriller pretext to do this. Check every of their films, for both of them and you'll have confirmation of what I say. For Leroy, LA TRAQUE, ATTENTION LES ENFANTS REGARDENT or LEGITIME VIOLENCE, LE QUATRIEME POUVOIR; for Jessua, ARMAGUEDON, TRITEMENT DE CHOC, LES CHIENS; all topics about social issues and human behavior. The adaptation from the David Lippincott's novel is rather faithful and that remains a very good French yarn. Yanne is exquisite in this ambivalent character. The relationship between his character and Renato Salvatori's one is very touching, so unusual, which reminds me OF MICE AND MEN, between George and Lenny.

an idealist ordinary man. and his desire to transform the other's perspective about life. a lucid psychologist who looking solve a case. result - a film who could seems boring at the first sigh. because it is not a crime but it has each ingredients of one. it is not a political film against the elements who defines in this sense. it is only a sort of cry of a man who has the hope/faith to do the expected revolution . a Don Quixote in new clothes. inspired portrait of contemporary society, it is the film who remind and not present. the duel between Delon and Yanne is , scene by scene, build in the precise manner. one of films who could be useful when the challenges of everyday becomes more bitter. because the chance to discover yourself in the gestures of Carrier or Ambrose, sides of same coin, is the great virtue of the film.

An anti-hero, proletarian, and idealistic man, Louis Carrier (played by Jean Yanne) craves for waking people up to their conditioning as larvas in today's society and puts a plan into action upon inheriting some insurance money from his deceased brother...

Jean Yanne gives a moving, authentic, and powerful performance opposite Alain Delon who plays with lucidity and presence a renowned psychologist hired by the police to hunt down Carrier.

Most likely, this movie will communicate emotions to those who wish for a better world !