Bastille Day

Enjoyable action-thriller, a little less excessive than Bond or Bourne, but still packed with fun and very physical action set-pieces, mostly conducted in close-quarters. The bad guys' plot may be dumb, but the way the villains have such a grasp on not just government institutions, but the general public, shows a fairly cynical view of the activists who are so easily manipulated (to do bad and good). It's interesting to think about while you watch Idris Elba punch people.

Bastille Day is a by the numbers action thriller that is somewhat elevated and carried by Idris Elba. He brings a touch of star quality and presence to what otherwise might as well be a Jason Statham film. Tonally this feels like a dated film that could have been released in the 90's and the supporting cast range from serviceable to poor. The set pieces pass the time though and the fight scenes are well choreographed and shot throughout. But otherwise this is a forgettable experience.

If you are looking for some stupid James Bond-like character who tears through the streets of Paris, then Bastille Day is good enough. Idris Elba brings a lot to his CIA character but not only that he also sings on the soundtrack. What? The plot of this movie was by the book and there wasn't anything in it that would draw me back for another viewing. I did like seeing a good spread of French actors but none of it really bring the film out of mediocrity.

Pretty solid action film. Idris Elba does a good job with what he's given.

The whole hashtag part and that anonymous guy getting somehow everyone to obey him were too far-fetched and wee distracting, but otherwise it was a okay action movie. Nothing groundbreaking, but enough charisma to carry it.

The chase on a roof tops was some some sort of entertaining.

A few good chases, some awkward fisticuffs, and Idris standing tall deserving a bit better movie. The movie at least kept me interested until the end.

Such cast yet it's rubbish movie. I mean no one even tries to be believable.

Needed better direction and actors who either spoke better English or had more convincing American accents. Also Idris Elba sings the theme song and here is that theme song: https://youtu.be/fy_amyPni0Y

Elba is solid as always... *Okay

I found this reasonably diverting. It's far from the high point of anyone's career but ticks most of the usual action caper boxes.

solid action

This was a MacDonalds Big Mac of a film; you know it is not going to do you any good, but it was enjoyable enough to eat all of it. So here we have a guy who has a shopping list of things to steal, so he pays someone to walk down the steps of Sacré-Coeur naked in order to distract the very people who he needs to pickpocket? Not very plausible ( and not very #metoo). Kelly Reilly was a most unlikely whatevershewas and it wasn't surprising she didn't make it out alive. That said, I watched it all

Totally forgot I had watched this on a flight to London until I found it still downloaded on my phone, somehow? Despite my Idris Elba crush, this is pretty generic run-of-the-mill euro-thriller. Utterly forgettable. Which has already happened. 3 months later and change, I don't remember much and I especially don't remember the women played by Charlotte Le Bon and Kelly Reilly, which is a bonafide crime, because they're both great.

Pretty good actioner minus some ridicolous plot. Elba is more thank ok and Madden is pretty much a surprise in plus.

The idea is great and Madden's natural charisma and amazing acting help sell it, but the bones of this story are by now so old and cliche that it takes away from the elements that make it unique and enjoyable. Anyone could play Elba's "by any means necessary" cop and the whole focus of the mission is standard, but those few moments of original and interesting developments, plus a ton of inventive pickpocket scenes make this movie worth one watch at the least.

Pretty good story, though not that original. Dialog sometimes quite lame. Not very deep characters.

Nice little action movie. It's fast paced and the action is well-shot and fun. Nothing more and also nothing less.

I watched this for Idris. He's very good, the script is not. Some decent action pieces, but overall it's an 85 min movie that feels closer to 2 hours. Waffled over a 5-6 score. Settled in at 5.4. Worth seeing if you're an Idris fan, but not much more.