FRANTIC (1988)

Compared to Roman Polanski’s brilliant films this mystery may seem too average; but I can’t deny that it’s an absorbing thriller that falters in the second half stretched in certain unnecessary objective. What I love is the pace of the film, it begins too slow, builds a tension but than fumbles towards routine chase sequences. Harrison Ford plays an American doctor visiting Paris with his wife to attend a seminar & they rented a hotel room to stay. Within few moments the wife disappears from the room as the man is having shower. The city turns hostile for him as he neither knows French nor having enough proof to convince cops that it was abduction. He starts making his own investigation through certain links especially his wife’s exchanged bag at airport. The rest is punk drug culture, espionage & crime rivalry.

Polanski finely used the bag as prop of intriguing mise en scene especially that brilliant messy scene on the roof top where Ford is trying to break into the house with a bag hard to handle. I loved the first half better & it has many exciting Hitchcockian elements. Though I’m not much into Ford, I like his performance here. Ennio Morricone’s background score is not his best one but it creates a thrilling tempo to the film. It’s worth watching once if you’re thriller lover or Polanski fan.