Carlos (2010)

French/German miniseries, filmed mostly in English, about the infamous "Carlos the Jackal", a terrorist who made life in Europe in the 70s and 80s a little more dangerous. Directed with punch by Olivier Assayas (who directed the vastly dissimilar Summer Hours, one of my favorite films of 2009), there is not one scene here that doesn't have action, either physical or emotional. Three episodes, each one feature length, and not an ounce of fat or a single superfluous moment. Carlos controlled a worldwide network of terrorist cells that were responsible for the deaths of hundreds, and he personally murdered...I'm not sure, I lost count...it's got to be near one hundred people, and managed to avoid capture for over twenty-five years. All this mayhem and sorrow in the name of his "cause", which shifted depending on the political climate. First it was communism, then anti-imperialism, then anarchy, then the Palestinian cause, then Islam...this guy had no convictions, other than power, money, and blood. This is a thoroughly successful achievement, an action movie with brains against a historical backdrop. Lean and mean.

Then there is the astounding Edgar Ramirez as Carlos. This guy evokes Brando and DeNiro all at once. It's an absolutely spellbinding performance, all from a guy who, rather recently, took up acting as a hobby. Eight years ago, he was a journalist and diplomat working at the U.N. (he speaks five languages fluently), and out of nowhere, we now have a major actor on our hands. He ages, very realistically, from 21 to 45 (Ramirez gained 70 pounds for the latter parts of the film). I feel I must see him in something else, he has had a few small film roles here and there. Why? Because I've rarely seen such an unflinching portrayal from an actor...you never see a hint of "acting" in his eyes, just blackness. It's chilling.