Pitof's style and design comes blazing through, in a kind of high-octane version of the work he did for Jeunet & Caro - a mixture of French garishness and Tim-Burton-esque gothic fantasy and detail. Also reminded me a bit of Alex Proyas' design on Dark City.

The plot gallops along, with Depardieu appearing in flashback scenes throughout while his biographer, the police, a decadent journalist and his sidekick all try to re-trace his steps, solve the bizarre murders and capture the Alchemist (if he or she even exists)!

There's so much going on on-screen that it's a complete feast for the eyes, especially once femme fatale Preah gets mixed up in the mystery.

I also thought it was so refreshing to see the investigative duo of Vidocq and Nimier, because they are both coarse, brainy & brawny (like two bears in top hats),whereas any Hollywood film would surely add numerous physical & character defects. You'd also lose the wonderful surreal Frenchness of the setting, and almost grotesque supporting characters.

The Alchemist is a great baddie - not superhuman, but you're not quite sure (for a long time anyway) if he/she is really supernatural or not - or of his/her motivation, and by the last half hour you think it could be virtually any of the main characters under the mask, which sets you up for a really good revelation or two & a battle at the end.

An exciting movie (complex, but not difficult),and not one dull moment. I'm not sure what some of the negative reviewers were watching, because if you liked Sleepy Hollow or From Hell, you'll adore this.

Recently I decided to give "Vidocq" another watch. It's probably already the third or fourth time I watched this movie and I enjoyed it again, even if you have to say that knowing the final plot twist takes away some of the suspense. On the other hand, it also makes you more curious to spot little hints about who the enemy here really is. And Depardieu isn't getting boring anyway, truly talented actor.

"Vidocq" is director Pitof's debut movie, a very dark and atmospheric effort. Sadly, "Catwoman" starring Halle Berry killed Pitof's career only three years after "Vidocq" already. Here the writer from "The Crimson Rivers" worked with Pitof on the script and one of the most interesting snippets about this film is that Vidocq really existed and this movie is based on his memoirs.

Don't read more if you want to avoid spoilers: Looking at the indicators that proved that Canet's character was the actual killer following Vidocq's traces, the first you may think of is his strong, almost obsessed dedication. You could see how he gets in the door when Vidocq's colleague early on tries to get rid of him. He isn't even scared by violence. Another would be that the people he visited keep dying right when he allegedly left. And finally, almost before we find out the truth, we see Canet's character scared that somebody may have seen the face of the killer and the very moment the witness says he could not see the face, Canet's character lets everybody see his face now that he is safe. Or thinks he is. However, when I saw the film for the first time, i have to say that the final twist came as a huge surprise to me.

This is a very creative crime thriller with a touch of supernatural horror. Depardieu is usually a very physical actor and he makes it work here very well, even if he is only seen in flashbacks as it seems he was killed early on. The final scene with Depardieu so eager to see the corpse that disappeared in the water almost gives room for a sequel, which never happened though. Canet, by now is one of the most established French actors (apart from being Marion Cotillard's partner from a long time, the lucky bastard) and it is fun to see him in his very early years. Inés Sastre, who plays the main female part, did not add too much for me except good looks. It's not really her acting that's the problem, more that I did not see big purpose in her character. Especially towards the end, it seems really random when she appears out of nowhere with Vidocq's partner, but has literally no impact in the final scenes. Apocalyptica's "Hope" in the closing credits is a nice song that fits the tone of the film very well.

As a whole, Vidocq is a great movie that would also have worked (maybe even better) without the fantasy/supernatural factor to it. I recommend giving it a look. I think also mainstream audiences can enjoy it and it is not as aimed exclusively at lovers of "Cinéma francais" as most French films are these days.

We watch in the opening of the film a detective named Vidocq(Gérard Depardieu)in battle with what appears to be a supernatural being with a glass framed face buried within a black cloak. It looks as if Vidocq fell to his doom in a fire-pit in the guts of a glassworks factory. His "biographer" Etienne(Guillaume Canet)wishes to pursue his hero's case and the film follows him from lead to lead learning about the killer called The Alchemist who is a mythic ghost whose glass face is said to steal the souls of victims. How Vidocq took the case was through a Chief of Police trying to figure out how three prominent members of Paris society wound up dead, two of them being burnt by lightning(the two who are actually burnt are an arms dealer and chemist). We find as Etienne dig deeper and deeper that these three only had love in their hearts for themselves and would do anything to preserve their youth..even making a deal with The Alchemist by supplying him pure virgins from poor families they pay so that they can receive a serum for not aging. All this revolves around a tumultuous political climate(..which might become an upheaval)as King Charles is threatening the suppression of the press and dissolving of parliament. Also, Paris in 1830 is quite a lurid, perverse place where any vice of anyone with wealthy means could be satisfied. We see this as Etienne continues on his journey to find answers to Vidocq's demise.

Director Pitof's in-your-face style may be jarring or unnerving for some viewers because the camera suffocatingly closes in on the actors faces. We get all close and personal even with the ugly sorts with rotted teeth or vile expressions. The film's special effects almost look purposely unrealistic and surreal creating a Paris so bizarre it's almost otherworldly. The Alchemist is quite a creation as he can do so many acrobatic and supernatural things. Another thing I found stunning was how Pitof's camera moves. It rotates around, following the characters and action. Pitof also likes his camera shooting upward from the ground. We rarely see a simply, ordinary shot of characters..everything seems unorthodox and unusual. And, the twist that comes at the end turns your usual detective story on it's head. I certainly didn't see it coming.