Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

OSS 117: Lost in Rio Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 18, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Music Box Films' OSS 117 release.

Bath. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath.

Yeah, that probably doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "Bond, James Bond", but for those who might think that the OSS 117 "franchise" in all of its many forms was a blatant rip off of Ian Fleming's work, here's a little disabusing of that notion: French writer Jean Bruce's first novel featuring French spy Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, AKA OSS 117, actually pre-dates Fleming's premiere tale featuring 007, Casino Royale, by several years! It may beg credulity to think that Fleming didn't know of 117 when he "demoted" the ones to zeroes for his spy, but in a way it kind of doesn't matter who came first with regard to the reboots under discussion, since they're intentionally seemingly ersatz from the get go, trying perhaps fitfully to mimic the plethora of spy spoofs that came out in the wake of Dr. No and the other early-ish Sean Connery classics. In that regard, it's kind of interesting that the first batch of OSS 117 films evidently played it much, much straighter. As with the release timings of Bruce's and Fleming's book versions, the debut OSS 117 film, OSS 117 n'est pas mort, came out in 1957, several years before the first Connery effort hit the big screen. One way or the other, though, the creatives behind these "newer" OSS 117 films decided to make Bath a Get Smart-esque buffoon a la Maxwell Smart, to arguably inconsistent comedic effect.

This second Dujardin - Michel Hazanavicius OSS 117 effort may be damned with faint praise by stating it really doesn't have that oft quoted "sophomore slump", which may be largely due to the fact that at least for me OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies was a missed opportunity that tried way too hard to deliver supposed comedy but instead tended to start to be frustratingly unfunny rather quickly. This second outing repeats some of the structural artifices of the first film, including offering a beautifully exotic location and a chance for La Bath (Jean Dujardin) the chance to squire not one but two females, in this case comely enigma Carlotta (Reem Kherici) and an IDF officer named Dolorès Koulechov (Louise Monot). Once again the cinematic referents are fast and furious, not necessarily limited to Bond outings, as in an opening vignette that could have been lifted from The Pink Panther ski chalet sequences.

Once again, Dujardin preens unnecessarily instead of adopting a more guileless "idiot" persona a la Don Adams' memorable work as Maxwell Smart. As with the first film, there are numerous intertwined sets of plotters and espionage elements, with another use of the always dependable evil Nazis showing up, also as with the first film.

OSS 117: Lost in Rio Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

OSS 117: Lost in Rio is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Music Box Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. As with OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, this was shot on 35mm and I'm assuming it had a 2K DI. As I mentioned in my review of the first film, while technical merits are quite commendable for both films, I found the color timing just a little odd. As with the first film, OSS 117: Lost in Rio can have a somewhat brightened, yellowish quality, though I have to say this outing probably has an overall more "natural" look in its outdoor scenes in particular. Things warm up noticeably somewhat later in the story after a calamitous plane crash. Again as with the first film, there's a riot of midcentury modern production design on display (this time more appropriately "sixties" in style than the first film, which was ostensibly set in the fifties). Detail levels on props and costumes is typically excellent. As can be seen in screenshot 8, some presentational artifices that mimic efforts like The Thomas Crown Affair, with several "pictures in picture" moments. I'm assuming that more modern compositing methods led to the lack of increased grain for these moments. In that regard, grain throughout the presentation resolves without any issues.

OSS 117: Lost in Rio Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with the first film, OSS 117: Lost in Rio offers either DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 or DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options in the original French. The surround track is nicely immersive in any number of outdoor locations, where the sounds of Rio's bustling urban environment nicely populate the side and rear channels. Ludovic Bource contributes another breezy score that is also nicely placed throughout the soundstage, offering enveloping support for several scenes. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available

OSS 117: Lost in Rio Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Feature Commentary by Michel Hazanavicius and Jean Dujardin is in French, with optional English subtitles.


• Calvacade in Rio: Making of Documentary (HD; 24:22) has some good interviews and behind the scenes footage. Subtitled in English.


• Deleted Scenes (HD; 7:54)


• The Jean Show: On Set with Jean Dujardin (HD; 3:11) has a perhaps unintentionally self revelatory title, since it sure seems like Dujardin virtually insists he be the center of attention all the time. Subtitled in English.


• Blooper Reel (HD; 11:35)


• France Never Responds Anymore (HD; 11:36) shows what looks like some red carpet or personal appearance footage.


• Photo Gallery (HD)


• Teasers (HD; 3:06)


• Theatrical Trailers (HD; 4:02)

OSS 117: Lost in Rio Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I was frankly hoping I would like these OSS 117 films more than I ended up doing, but this one offers some really great location work in Brasil, even if its plot is ultimately pretty similar in more than one way to the first film. I kind of surprisingly found Dujardin rather off putting in both of these features, though arguably maybe a little less in this particular outing. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements enjoyable for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.