The Takedown might seem like a standard international release on Netflix, but it actually boasts a pretty impressive budget and talent worth talking about.
The French action-comedy sees policemen Ousmane Diakhite (Omar Sy) and Francois Monge (Laurent Lafitte), who come from different worlds, working together to solve a murder that leads them towards discovering a wider conspiracy. The Takedown is actually a sequel to the 2012 hit On the Other Side of the Tracks, which featured Sy and Lafitte in the same roles. This fact combined with the success that Sy and director Louis Leterrier had with the global hit Netflix series Lupin is likely has a lot to do with why The Takedown, a film barely marketed by Netflix, has a bigger budget and production value.
The action sequences have a good-sized scope to make them exciting and engaging. It’s pleasantly surprising to see the mature action and humor the film has, and the effects behind some of the bloody kills and storytelling are strong. It should come as no surprise though, as Leterrier, is no stranger to big action flicks. Not only has Leterrier directed films like: The Transporter, Now You See Me, Clash of the Titans, and The Incredible Hulk (the one with Edward Norton) but he is also officially taken over directing duties for Fast X after Justin Lin’s exit. Leterrier shows his prowess with The Takedown elevating the action to an explosive and energetic level of fun.
The chemistry between Sy and Lafitte continually elevates the film through strong comedy and their screen presence. The way these two rag on each other is fun and they both work incredibly well with the raunchy side of the film’s comedy, especially Lafitte. Their bickering about their ranks and distinctive behavior with women easily gets some good laughs going and they’re the perfect kind of odd couple pairing. As much as they have small spats, they’re still able to work together to kick ass, which they do quite well. They especially make some of the physical gags and hilarious reveals incredibly funny and overall, give some well-rounded performances.
It’s just a shame that the story doesn’t leave that same impact. A big reason the story underwhelms is because it’s a sequel to a film most people, let alone Netflix subscribers, probably haven’t seen. Netflix feels like they really botched the expectations leading up to The Takedown’s release by omitting the fact that it’s a sequel since it does feature some plot points from the original, which can create a weird viewing experience for newcomers.
None of the plot details that carry over ever negate newcomers from understanding what’s happening, but when Ousmane and Francois first meet and bring up stuff from their past together, it feels like you’re missing something. The same can be said for some of the conversations and conflicts about race that happen with Ousmane as it feels like remnants of the previous film bleeding into this film without much meaning or impact.
The film tries to have these racial conflicts tied together with Ousmane and Francois’ dynamic and the main baddies, but they feel half-baked and don’t have any meaningful takeaways. It feels like the film wants to say something about the racism that Ousmane faces, but it either already happened in the previous film or doesn’t have a case or characters strong enough in this film to really say something.
Honestly, The Takedown’s central mystery feels rushed and thin with it just lazily having things collide together in the end. At first, you’re kind of hooked on the mystery because of the fun detective elements that are utilized when Ousmane and Francois are first looking into the body and their great dynamic, but it’s not enough to look past the rushed nature of things. Answers come far too easily and aren’t all that satisfying because of how unexplored the film’s bad guys are. The finale pretty much just rests on the strong action and humor to carry viewers through its predictable and unremarkable betrayal and lackluster resolutions that barely form a completed arc for either lead character.
The Takedown can impress at times with its remarkable action scope and the enjoyable chemistry of Sy and Lafitte but is ultimately let down by its rushed and messy story that likely won’t impress fans of the film prior or newcomers giving it a shot.
