Based on the popular Belgian comic book series, “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” will appeal to audiences wanting a straightforward popcorn action film. Nothing more, nothing less.
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DVD TITLE: The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch
DURATION: 108 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Widescreen (2:35:1), French and English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Music Box Films
RATED: N/A
RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2012
Directed by Jerome Salle
Screenplay by Julien Rappeneau, Jerome Salle
Comic by Jean Van Hamme, Philippe Francq
Producer: Nathalie Gastaldo, Philippe Godeau
Line Producer: Eric Zaouali, Chen On Chu
Assistant Executive Producer: Geoffrey de Boissezon
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Cinematoraphy by Denis Rouden
Edited by Richard Marizy
Casting by Gigi Akoka, Toby Whale
Production Design by Michel Barthelmy
Art Direction by Benoit Bechet, Ino Bonello, Yann Megard
Costume Design by Khadija Zeggai
Starring:
Tomer Sisley as Largo Winch
Kristin Scott Thomas as Ann Ferguson
Miki Manojlovic as Nerio Winch
Melanie Thierry as Lea/Naomi
Gilbert Melki as Freddy
Karel Roden as Mikhail Korsky
Steven Waddington as Stephan Marcus
Anne Consigny as Hannah
Radivoje Bukvic as Goran
Nicolas Vaude as Gauthier
Benedict Wong as William Kwan
Gerard Watkins as Cattaneo
Wolfgang Pissors as Attinger
Theodore Thomas as Greenfield
David Gasman as Alexander Meyer
Elizabeth Bennett as Miss Pennywinkle
When billionaire financier Nerio Winch (Miki Manojlovic) and head of the W Group is murdered, his second in command (Kristin Scott Thomas) must locate his only heir — a heretofore unknown adopted son, Largo (Tomer Sisley). But first the heir — a twentysomething adventurer — must overcome an onslaught of drug traffickers, assassins, corporate raiders and double-dealing insiders to fulfill his destiny in this twisty, fast-paced corporate thriller.
For decades, many people in Europe grew up reading the “Largo Winch” novels (by Jean Van Hamme) or the Belgian comic book series (by Philippe Francq and Jean Van Hamme) have been intrigued by this character and its action-packed storyline.
The novels would lead to a TV series in Germany in 2001 and in 2008, a French film titled “Largo Winch” was released, followed by a sequel titled “Largo Winch II: The Burma Conspiracy” in 2011. Directed by Jérôme Salle (writer of “The Tourist”, “Duplicity” and “Anthony Zimmer”), “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” would be nominated for “Best International Film” at the 2012 Saturn Awards and now, the first film titled “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” will be released on DVD courtesy of Music Box Films in March 2012.
“The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” begins with the murder of Nerio Winch (played by Miki Manojlovic, “Underground”, “Irina Palm”), the owner of the huge corporation Group W. But the murder is concealed and the cause of death was due to natural reasons and now Group W is in a disarray.
As Nerio Winch was the leader and with no leader in place, many of the senior executives start to discuss who will lead Group W now?   Executive and Winch confidant Ann Ferguson (played by Kristin Scott Thomas, “The English Patient”, “Gosford Park”, “Four Weddings and a Funeral”) tells the executives that Nerio planned what to do in case he dies and that is for his son to take over.
But the executives are not aware of a son. Ann tells them that he has an adopted son named Largo Winch.
We are then taken to a Brazil where we see Largo Winch (played by Tomer Sisley, “Nativity Story”, “Sleepless Night”) getting a tattoo, but while getting the tattoo, he hears screams from a woman being hassled by a group of soldiers. When Largo comes to her rescue, a soldier starts roughing him up. Which then sends Largo to a frenzy and manages to defeat all soldiers.
He then gets closer to the young woman named Lea (played by Melanie Thierry) and after a night of passion, while he is sleeping, Lea uses a syringe and knocks him out cold. By the time he wakes up, he is busted by the police for narcotics possession and receives jail time. As he is beaten by authorities, a guest named Freddy (an assistant of Nerio Winch, played by Gilbert Melki) appears to have arranged for his release but instead of walking out of his prison cell nicely, he beats up the guards and after alluding the police through heavy gunfire, he and Freddy escape.
Largo is then told about his father’s death and is also told by the coroner that a second autopsy was done and the death of Nerio may have been foul play.
Meanwhile, the executives are briefed by Ann about Nerio’s son Largo and are told how Nerio adopted the boy in Yugoslavia. Largo was raised by a couple and then taken to an Academy at a young age. He then started to learn about the corporation through his father and despite the two having a rocky relationship, Largo was selected by Nerio to inherit and run the company.
When Largo arrives to meet with the corporate executives, he learns that no one believes he is the adopted son of Nerio Winch and that he must prove it. To their shock, Nerio knows every secretive detail about each member of the corporation. Meanwhile, an unknown businessman intervenes in the corporate meeting to meet with Largo as it is urgent. But the man is shot and killed by an unknown assailant.
We then learn that there are individuals within the corporation such as Russian arms trader Mikhail Korsky (played by Karel Roden) that want control and will do anything they can to have Largo killed.
And for Largo, he is not a “business man” who will stay in an office. He plays by force and will do all it takes to find the people responsible for killing Nerio.
VIDEO, AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
The DVD screener I received is not the official DVD for retail (this is a straight run DVD with Music Box Films ownership titles on print, no menu, no special features DVD). So, I can’t say how the PQ and AQ is for this DVD but I will say that the film is presented in widescreen 2:35:1 and presented in French and English 5.1 Dolby Digital with English subtitles. I can say that “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” is shot outdoors in many sequences and the colors are absolutely vibrant and there is a ton of action that this is a film that deserves to be seen on Blu-ray.
While the film has been released on Blu-ray in other countries, as of now, Music Box Films will be releasing “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” on DVD.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The copy I received is a screener and did not come with the special features. According to the case, the DVD comes with a special digital comic of “Largo Winch” Issue #1 “The Heir”, the Making of Largo Winch featurette and the theatrical trailer.
Note:Â The review is for the film as the screener DVD is not the finalized DVD release.
While watching “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch”, there is no doubt that this French film was a major attempt to create an action thriller along the lines of “Bourne Identity”, “Die Hard”etc.
First the good news. The good news is that for action fans, what you get with “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” is a straight-up popcorn action film. A lot of vehicles are totaled, a lot of firearms are fired and a lot of fighting.   Also, because the eponymous Largo Winch is not your average protagonist and is rough around the edges, he’s definitely a character that kicks a lot of ass!
Now the not so good news.
It’s formulaic and overly predictable. But the worst offender is the spotty acting in this film.
“The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” had intriguing potential but according to fans, the French film strays away from the comic books too much for its own good. Among the criticisms is that Largo Winch is to supposed to live in the New York at the Winch Building but instead, he operates from a yacht near Hong Kong and not all characters are represented in this first film.
The film has an international flavor, which is great! Unfortunately, the acting is quite weak and while the English conversations will work on most countries outside of the United States, for me, some characters don’t seem natural enough in their dialogue and it really makes this film out to be more of a B-film. Most of the time, I was hoping Kristin Scott Thomas would come back on screen because at least she is actress that can deliver and possibly save the scene.
Along with Kristin Scott Thomas, I did enjoy seeing Tomer Sisley as Largo Winch. I know the character may be too different from what people have read and seen of the character in the original comic book series, but I felt he did a good job playing Largo Winch. He doesn’t have the typical muscles-bulging action hero, if anything, he seemed like a stoic, carefree free spirit doing whatever he wants and he fit that mold perfectly.
And also, it was great to see “Babylon A.D.” actress Melanie Thierry playing the double role of Lea/Naomi and although her scenes were limited to a sex and massage scene and few other minor shots, the actress also had wonderful chemistry with actor Tomer Sisley onscreen.
Overall, I really wanted to enjoy “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” and really hoped to see an action thriller with the comic book hero Largo Winch and if anything, show that Europeans can make excellent action thrillers based on a comic book character. I was hoping to watch a film with not just attention to the action but overall storyline but “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” became too simplistic and banal.
After all, with the corporate backstabbing and your not so clean cut protagonist, this could have been a film that would rival James Bond, Jason Bourne or John McClane. And while the film started off with a lot of excitement, with plenty of action and a passionate sex scene all within the first 20-minutes of the film, unfortunately the pacing starts to go way off, the storyline and acting starts to spiral downward and all that is left is the film’s action sequences which were good but not awesome!
In the end, “The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch” will appeal to audiences wanting a straightforward popcorn action film. Nothing more, nothing less.
