I discovered this thriller ordering some good DVDs on Amazon. I thought it must not be bad with 4.5/5 stars and rating of 6.8 out 10 on IMDb. Then the running time with 80 minutes is not so long. In fact I wasn't disappointed and I spent with my wife an entertaining evening. All the actors and the director did a good job here. Some scenes were perhaps too violent and one or two sequences not very clear to follow. But if you can look away from these little flaws it works for a solid action movie. It's not the one you will talk days later but it's definitely one of the better ones you can buy or rent in this genre. Just check it out. It takes you quick on a fast paced and packed cat and mouse chase. This will take your breath away. 6/10.

Smart action thrillers are rare. Rarer still is a smart action thriller that features a complex yet comprehensible (and credible) plot, characters you care about, and vivid, crisp directing. "Point Blank" is one of these rarities. It utilizes many elements of classic action films—an innocent "good guy" who unwittingly becomes caught up in a dangerous plot, a woman in jeopardy, corrupt cops, and unexpected twists. The film avoids cliché, however, and it moves along at lightning speed (total running time is about 80 minutes). The French setting is an added bonus, and the acting and editing are very well done. Subtract a star if subtitles annoy you.

The health care assistant Samuel Pierret (Gilles Lellouche) goes with his pregnant wife Nadia Cortez (Elena Anaya) to the doctor that recommends a complete rest for Nadia for the next weeks. Samuel will be promoted to nurse very soon and he is very happy.

When he is working in the night shift, a man tries to kill the patient Hugo Sartet (Roschdy Zem), who had been wounded by a motorcycle while chased by two men. However, Samuel uses the adequate medical procedure and saves the man. On the next morning, he is proud of his accomplishment and telling Nadia at home when he is attacked by a stranger. When he wakes-up, he receives a phone call from the stranger telling that Nadia has been abducted and he needs to remove Hugo from the hospital until midday, otherwise she will be murdered.

The police department is divided by the squads of Detective Patrick Werner (Gérard Lanvin), who is investigating the murder of the millionaire Francis Meyer, and Detective Catherine Fabre (Mireille Perrier), who is in charge of the case in the hospital, and the groups have an internal dispute. Samuel rescues Hugo and is hunted by the Detective Fabre on the streets. When Samuel is ready to trade Hugo for Nadia, they are hunted by two armed men and Samuel and Hugo runs to a safe house. Samuel calls Detective Fabre and when she arrives, she is murdered by Werner and his detectives. Sooner Samuel learns that Werner's team is corrupt and now he needs Hugo to save his wife.

This is the second film directed by Fred Cavayé that I have recently seen and both are great full of action thrillers. They have similar story lines, with a common man forced to an extreme act to save his beloved wife, and pursuits through the streets of Paris. But the stories are engaging and different from each other.

I hope that Hollywood does not destroy this plot with a remake the same way this industry did with "Pour Elle". Further, I am looking forward to see his next work. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "À Queima Roupa" ("Point Blank")