Not to be confused with the Bruce Willis asteroid pic, this French film stars Alain Delon. Everyman maintenance worker Louis Carrier (Jean Yanne) receives an life insurance payment when his brother accidentally dies in a car accident. Sensing the opportunity for a new life, Carrier quits his job along with mentally challenged co-worker Albert aka "Einstein" and pursues his dream of worldly recognition. Unfortunately this dream is a bit twisted as he begins donning disguises and having "Einstein" photograph him with various famous people (ranging from the Minister of France to Mick Jagger!). He then sends these photos to the police with audio recordings stating he could kill anyone of them at any time. Using the moniker of Armaguedon, he demands that the police follow his orders. Interpol brings in Dr. Michel Ambrose (Delon) to help solve the case and track down this potential killer. Playing on the real life murderer/communicator events of people like The Zodiac Killer (and, more likely, DIRTY HARRY's Scorpio), this effective French thriller can be seen as the cinematic granddaddy of films such as CACHE. It highlights a person who feels they have been marginalized by society and they somehow feel they can enact their revenge by making others experience their situation. Delon is his usual cool self (he is introduced calmly talking a topless girl out of jumping off a roof) but the film really belongs to Yanne as the titular terrorist. The odd thing about ARMAGUEDON is that he makes Carrier a slightly sympathetic character. After all, who wouldn't cheer a guy who tells the public to wake up from their sheep-like state? Well, he does kill a hooker dressed in a scuba suit too so he is kinda bad.
Review of Armaguedon
Armaguedon
(1977)
Engaging Delon thriller with some social commentary
12 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers