Frantic

An average thriller with a banal story. Ford gives a performance of a lifetime, but otherwise there's nothing in this film that will catch your attention, including the awkward ending. You can make better films, Mr. Polanski. (11/05/2003)

Weak. Neither Harrison Ford nor Roman Polanski can pull this film off because it's just boring. It might have been a classic average thriller, but you expect a bit more from these two guys. (08/10/2002)

Both Ford and Polanski can do better than this thoroughly average thriller set in appealing locations in Paris, the first half of which is significantly better than the second. Apart from this, there isn’t much to fault, but also not much to praise. Simply a solid average for a weekend evening spent in front of the TV. Which in view of the two aforementioned is too little. (26/04/2005)

Polanski ranks very high on my list of favorite directors, and I have never felt the need to rate his movies lower than 3 stars. However, when I look at his filmography, I must admit that I consider Frantic not necessarily the weakest, but personally the least interesting film from his creative workshop. The problem is not in the direction, although I don't find an atmosphere in the true sense of the word, and I only see Polanski's virtuosity in a few shots from the rooftops of houses, but it is still very decent and above-average craftsmanship. However, I do have a problem with the screenplay, which seems somewhat routine, not surprising, and unfinished to me. Polanski the screenwriter simply does not reach the level of Polanski the director. The most interesting part of the film is Harrison Ford's professional performance, who is at home in this kind of thriller and effortlessly handles both the role of a settled, serious bourgeois, and a man who jumps on rooftops and is willing to face professional killers. And I must not forget the charms of Emmanuelle Seigner, although I have the feeling that the interaction between Ford's character and hers is a bit forced, and Polanski simply wanted to please his life partner. Overall impression: 55%. (19/01/2015)

Interestingly contradictory stuff, an example of a film that has become terribly dated in its technical and expressive means over the years, but Polanski does sure extract a great atmosphere from the Parisian streets, creating a suffocating and highly depressing feelings of paranoia around the main character, something timeless in such stories. It's not about the twist, or the finale, but the careful puzzle building, the direction of the actors, and the great sense of editing and uncovering the pieces of a simple story in a sophisticated creative delivery. It certainly felt better and fresher at the time of its release, but if you squint your eyes, it can also work today. With hindsight, on the other hand, what stands out is the dark atmosphere and filmmaking craft, which need to mature a bit. (17/04/2016)