[FilmReview]OSS117:Cairo,NestofSpies(2006)6.3/10

ThefirstoutingofTHEARTISTtrio,FrenchdirectorMichelHazanavicius’secondfeaturefilm,an007spoofbasedonthepopularnovelseriespennedbyJeanBruce,itsprotagonististheFrenchsecretagentHubertBonisseurdelaBathcodenameOSS117(Dujardin),whoisnarrow-minded,feather-headedandahardenedskirt-chaser,buthasaslickheadofhairandoptimallucktolandonhisfeetamongsillyinternationalintrigues.SothistimeheisassignedtoCairo(oftenstoodinbyMorocco)toinvestigatethedisappearanceofhisfellowagentJefferson(Lefebvre),liaisedwiththelatter’ssecretaryLarmina(Bejo,grudginglyplayactingaMiddleEaststockandstomachingmostof117’sraciallyinsensitiveremarks,untilbeinginexorablyovercomeby117’sirresistiblepotency),herunsafoulofaseriesofmultinational(British,Russian,Belgian,German)espionage,aswellasclashingwiththelocalEgyptians,fromauthority,factionalradicals,totheroyalprincessAlTarouk(Atika),whojustcannotgetenoughofhim,nudgenudge.Unashamedlyethnocentric,anddeficientinintelligence,logicandsensibility,fortunatelythefilmboaststhewinningappealofitsstar,JeanDujardinconfidentlychaperonesusthrough117’sescapadewithhisbeamingsmile,pervasiveswaggerandfaux-naïfblarney,sprinkledwithsmallwonderment:ribbingson117’ssexualityandtheflashbackofhisbeachsidebromanceneverfailstodelight,afez-wornmusicnumberofDalida’sBAMBINOinArabicebullientlyepitomizesthepicture’sfrothynature,tosaynothingofitscleveropeningtitlesequencespayinghomagetoSaulBass.OSS117:CAIRO,NESTOFSPIESshowsHazanavicius’competenceinhiscraftsmanship,butwhetheronewillfinditintoxicatingorfatuoussquarelydependsonyourGallichumorquotient.referentialentries:Hazanavicius’THEARTIST(2011,8.4/10);GuyHamilton’sGOLDFINGER(1964,6.3/10);DavidKerr’sJOHNNYENGLISHSTRIKESAGAIN(2018,6.0/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。