Gardiens de l'ordre Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Gardiens de l'ordre Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 17, 2010

Nicolas Boukhrief’s "Gardiens de l'ordre" a.k.a "Sphinx" (2010) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy French distributors Gaumont. The supplemental features on the disc include a standard featurette with footage from cast discussions, various interviews, and conversations with director Nicolas Boukhrief; the film's original French theatrical trailer; and photo gallery. In French, with optional English and French SDH subtitles. Region-Free.

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During a team operation in the city, Simon (Fred Testot, The Whistler) and Julie (Cécile De France, Haute tension, Un secret), two ordinary police officers, seriously injure a young drug addict under the influence of a powerful new drug called Sphinx after he kills one of their colleagues. The killer, who happens to be the son of a respected congressman, goes into coma, and Simon and Julie are immediately demoted. To prove that they have been wrongfully punished for their actions, the two decide to track down the killer’s supplier.

The Sphinx, however, is not an ordinary drug - it is difficult to find and very expensive. In fact, only a couple of dealers in the city sell it. Simon and Julie go after them and soon attract the attention of a few big players.

To get to the supplier, Simon and Julie pretend that they are dealers from the South looking to expand their business. They move into a fancy suburban home confiscated by the police and begin buying and trading small amounts of cocaine. Eventually, they are approached by a man who offers to put them in touch with the people who produce the Sphinx.

Meanwhile, the killer comes out of coma and presses charges against Simon and Julie. Pressured by the killer’s father, their boss decides to suspend them.

Nicolas Boukhrief’s Gardiens de l'ordre (promoted in English-speaking markets as Sphinx) is a tight, stylish police thriller that tells a simple story about injustice. It reminded me about Xavier Beauvois’ Le petit lieutenant, in which a cop is also tragically killed. In both films things get out of control and the cops are forced to break the law so that justice is served.

Le petit lieutenant is the better film. In it the main protagonists undergo dramatic transformations that expose their weaknesses in a very convincing fashion. Naturally, the focus of attention is on their struggles to come to terms with the death of their colleague.

In Gardiens de l'ordre a more conventional approach is used to justify the actions of the main protagonists. Once the producers of the Sphinx are identified, it becomes obvious that it is only a matter of time before they are punished. With other words, Gardiens de l'ordre is more of a action thriller than a complex drama.

The cast is very good. Cecile De France is excellent as the young cop who cannot live with half-truths and lies. There is a scene early into the film where she is asked to sign a report that she has not written that is outstanding. It has to be said, however, that she has a tendency to look a bit too elegant at times.

Fred Testot is the star of the film. After he is forced to take the Sphinx, his mood swings are indeed quite remarkable. Only in the film’s closing scenes he loses the terrific energy that makes his character so impressive to behold.

Dominique Colin’s (L'auberge espagnole, Gradiva, C'est Gradiva qui vous appelle) lensing compliments the narrative very well. Nicolas Baby’s (Camping sauvage, Cortex) soundtrack, a collection of trendy electronica and ambient tunes, is also most appropriate.

Gardiens de l'ordre Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted 1080p transfer, Nicolas Boukhrief's Gardiens de l'ordre arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French distributors Gaumont.

This is a strong high-definition transfer. Fine object detail is very good, clarity pleasing and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. Large portions of the film are shot at night, or inside various night clubs, but the image quality is not compromised; even the darkest scenes convey strong detail. Edge-enhancement and macroblocking are not an issue of concern. I also did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction. Selected scenes, however, reveal minor compression artifacts. Generally speaking, the color-scheme does not disappoint; reds, blues, greens, brown, grays, and blacks are lush and very well saturated. Additionally, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. When blown through a digital projector, Gardiens de l'ordre remains tight around the edges and conveys wonderful depth. Lastly, I did not see any disturbing flecks, scratches, stains, or marks. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Gardiens de l'ordre Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. For the record, Gaumont have provided optional English and French SDH subtitles for the main features.

The French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is solid. The bass is potent and punchy, the rear channels not overly active but effective, and the high-frequencies not overdone. Many of the club scenes, for instance, sound very good. The final shootout is also quite impressive. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. There are no balance issues to report with Nicolas Baby's atmospheric soundtrack either. Lastly, while watching the film I did not hear any pops, cracks, hissings, or dropouts to report in this review.

Gardiens de l'ordre Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: Some of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray disc are encoded in 1080/50i. Therefore, if you reside in North America, or another region where 1080/50i is not supported, you must have a Region-Free player capable of converting 1080/50i to 1080/60i, or a TV set capable of receiving native 1080/50i data, in order to view them.

Une journee avec l'equipe - a standard featurette with footage from cast discussions, various interviews, conversations with director Nicolas Boukhrief, etc. In French, not subtiled (24 min, 1080/50i).

Galerie photos - a collage of stills from the film (1080p).

Film annonce - the original French theatrical trailer for the film. In French, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

Gardiens de l'ordre Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Nicolas Boukhrief's Gardiens de l'ordre is a good, well acted action thriller that is yet to reach North America. I follow Cécile De France's work very closely so, obviously, I had to see it. Aside from the final act, which feels somewhat rushed, the rest of the film is terrific. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of French distributors Gaumont, looks and sounds very good. It is also Region-Free. RECOMMENDED.