Subway [1985]

Christopher Lambert
Isabelle Adjani

Director

Luc Besson

An early work from director Luc Besson, Subway is a dark and highly stylised picture which concerns an enigmatic safecracker (Christopher Lambert) hiding out in the Paris Metro system. While living in the underground and eluding both gangsters and Metro police he meets up with a group of colourful and quirky subterranean inhabitants eager to help him and start a rock band. All the while the safecracker blackmails a rich woman (Isabelle Adjani) with whom he is in love. Meant to be a tongue-in-cheek commentary on urban life, the film works better as a light freewheeling entertainment, with well-constructed fast-paced action sequences and a breezy sense of humour about itself. Subway is an intriguing diversion and a chance to see the cutting-edge of contemporary French moviemaking. --Robert Lane