AKA (2023)

Too much of everything. AKA is an french action film, with a muscleman at center. That's a traditional setup, and with time, some of them learn the trade. The trouble is not the acting, lack thereof, but with the script. It feels like a group of people went script-shopping and said: We'd like a french action movie, with a tough fighter at the center. He's, uh, to infitrate organised crime. Yeah, organised crime, that's good; drugs and prostitution and that. And add some shady government officials and politicians. Human angle, we need an human angle. Add something about children and protecting them, that's always welcome. If there's child abuse, only offscreen. And we want french muslims, but the modern depiction, right? A bit about neo-colonialism. And some tragic things happening. And betrayal and a plot twist, and this and that... and we want some more action, but not too expensive! The scriptwriters and -doctors did a good job to fit it all into one script they were asked to put in. And the director did the best with what he was given. But watching it, the result feels overloaded. Too many different angles, none played out in-depth. There's excellent movies focusing on two aspects, where this crams in a dozen. And that's why, in the end, this isn't a satisfying watch. They did all they were supposed to do, but it is too constructed, with too many different tropes and genres combined. (The protagonist being in the learning stage about acting doesn't help either, but he's got the build and muscle.) It can fill some time, it's not boring, but not convincing either. 6/10