Ad Vitam revolves around Franck Lazareff who finds himself caught up in dangerous act once his wife, Leo is kidnapped by an unknown armed group. The film falls under crime, thriller, and drama, the sequences indicating Franck trying to overcome his past and solve crimes in a complicated world that is filled with mystery. This realistic picture contributes to the tension; the viewer follows Franck’s path which is chaotic.
There is good acting although the play mainly focuses on Franck and perfectly depicts the inner conflict of the character along with a desperate search for the rescue. Loa really provides further depth to the plot, making it necessary for the audience to ask questions like is loyalty what defines one’s identity? It helps to cultivate the constant sense of tension which makes the audience doubt who is the enemy, and what kind of danger is they are threatened.
Ad Vitam manages to interweave adrenaline-filled moments with abstract philosophical concepts, vengeance and truths and lies as principal. The movie ends with the viewer left wondering just how far Franck has come in his own redemption process the price he paid or the lives lost for this man’s freedom from his past.
