The French Connection

Here the rules of the genre were rewritten. Friedkin films action much more dynamically than was generally the rule in the 70s. The legendary “Popeye" Gene Hackman is precisely the type of stubborn cop who lives for his job and pursues his target like a bulldog. The ingenious chase on the subway is one of the best ever made, but the raw finale with the subtitles was literally murder. (16/02/2013)

This film is really well-edited, it has excellent pacing, great actors, but in order for me to rate it at maximum, I would also have to be entertained by the story. And honestly, the story didn't interest me that much. Not that it was completely boring, but I guess I was expecting more. However, William Friedkin made a truly excellent film with what he had. (11/08/2015)

The name, the topic and the time period clearly remind one of the nadir of French crime cinematography. But only until the first moments of the film because that’s when the absolutely perfect American dynamic atmosphere starts which keeps at it until the very end. I personally have to say that I may never have seen a better and more suspenseful espionage crime flick than The French Connection. For instance, when Gene Hackman was spying on the scummy guys from France in the subway, I was literally breathless. And I guess I don’t have to tell you how I felt when he started up the Pontiac LeMans, which led to one of the most beautiful movie car-chases I have ever seen. That was some perfect cinematographic adrenaline! You don’t get moments like these in today’s movies anymore… the same goes for the dirtiness of New York City. It’s that bleak atmosphere where you would expect to run into a scumbag around every corner - it’s simply great. And what’s more, after the movie, I was simply staring blankly at the final credits because that ending was pretty depressing. I tip my hat to you, Americans. You sure did a great job on this one. (16/12/2018)

It's a fact that even after 47 years, Hackman's elevated train chase still has huge balls. Friedkin always had the directing down pat, and along with The Exorcist and Sorcerer, The French Connection is a distinct creative imprint of the 70s. I was ultimately deterred from giving it the full rating by the overly intricate plot in the first half. The second half, on the other hand, is much more straightforward, more action-packed, and everything gradually makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, I never did completely shake the slightly confused impression from the first half. (25/11/2018)

Friedkin shot with a handheld camera and tried various directorial tricks to achieve as much authenticity as possible, and he succeeded to a great extent. Gene Hackman, in his first big role as a tough macho cop, made a strong impression, and his car chase with an overhead camera is unforgettable. A surprise in its time and well-deserved Oscar for Best Picture. (13/04/2003)