El caso SK1

I won’t pretend that I didn’t have big expectations of this crime investigation movie. Especially of the story and the atmosphere, which I had hoped to be a return to the 1970s and 1980s, i.e. the peak of the French crime films with Belmondo, Ventura and Delon in the lead. What I got instead was a not-so-awful movie, but as far as the actors go, it simply didn’t satisfy me the way I’d expect it to. The most charming character was probably the killer, whose performance was extraordinary. The investigators merely seemed to exist. They just “were” and “investigated”. But overall, nothing was really happening. I had an issue with the story outline. The movie was playing, time was passing by and it was obvious how things were going to turn out. The final shock that I’m used to with French crime investigation movies just wasn’t there. But it definitely wasn’t bad. It was just a modern-day time crime investigation standard that has nothing to dazzle with the second time you’re watching. (14.08.2017)

A great "police procedural". A skillfully composed and rhythmic mosaic of exhausting investigation, frustration and lack of cooperation. A must-see for fans of distant detective films (and at the same time characteristically moralist and socially responsible). Given how few such things arise, it's definitely a great pleaser. Fréderic Tellier is a man to watch! (24.04.2016)

A dense and well-played procedural crime movie made in a style of the best movies of the seventies of the French genre school; which is further enhanced by the stylization of Personnaze to young Delon. I think the best thing we can say about the quality of Serial Killer 1 is the fact that it can easily keep up with Fincher's Zodiac and it would have been a success even if made at that time. Let alone today, when such good movies are rather exceptional. (19.11.2015)

Gritty, raw and bleak French crime drama following the 10-year hunt for serial killer Guy Georges! The resemblance to David Fincher's Zodiac is definitely spot on. The film has an interesting narrative style, following two timelines. One is set in a court trial and in the other we follow the work of the police as they try to solve the increasingly frequent murders of young beautiful girls. Very nicely portrayed, as such work goes. Frustration, helplessness, lack of evidence, no leads and no cooperation. You won't envy the detectives. The film has a slower pace, but the topic makes it very engaging, the acting is perfect, and the court scenes also have a lot of charge. For a film that is 6 years old it still hasn't got into people's minds, needs to be rectified! Story****, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence***, Entertainment****, Music***, Visuals****, Atmosphere****, Suspense***. 8/10. (12.06.2020)

This was a pleasant surprise at the 2015 French Film Festival. In full glory, a genre returns to the scene that French cinema was once proud of - the old-fashioned crime film, this time shot in the style of Fincher's Zodiac. Not as a conflict between the police and the criminal underworld, but as a difficult and lengthy process of collecting clues, putting together small pieces that someone might later be able to assemble to make sense. A maze of clues, dead ends, and mistakes that cost the lives of more victims. Serial Killer 1 describes the case of a serial killer who terrified the inhabitants of Paris for years and kept the police apparatus busy. It shows how easy it is to stray from the right track, and how tricky it is to apply rational thinking where the opponent lacks it. The viewer follows the intricate investigation and at the same time, the court trial with the suspect, where the filmmakers leave him in uncertainty and tension, whether that antisocial oddball spreading negative energy around him from the position of the accused is the actual perpetrator. Overall impression: 95%. (05.02.2016)

Cuando estoy en París, siempre intento ir al cine a ver alguna novedad francesa, porque en la mayoría de los casos es muy probable que no lleguen a los cines checos o a los DVD. L'Affaire SK1 le dirá algo a cualquier francés, así como el apellido Kajínek le dirá algo a cualquier checo. Durante los años noventa, crecí sin saber francés y nunca había oído hablar de un asesino de los suburbios de París. Por eso, la película que se desarrolla en dos líneas temporales fue aún más interesante para mí. Tanto las escenas de investigación como las escenas del tribunal están muy bien filmadas, no me aburrí y me dejé llevar por el aterrador enfrentamiento entre la policía y la justicia con un asesino brutal y despiadado. Destacar las actuaciones de Raphael Personnaze en el papel principal y Thierry Neuvic y Christa Theret en los secundarios, ya no es la misma Lola histérica, sino una actriz joven y segura de sí misma. L'Affaire SK1 se encuentra en la cima de mis películas favoritas de 2014. (25.01.2015)

I make no secret of the fact that I’m not a fan of French cinema, but when I happen to be impressed by a work of French filmmakers, I have no problem admitting it. Which is what happened in this case. What I found interesting were two things. The way in which the filmmakers depicted the long-term search for that fucking bastard (I'm sorry, but I couldn't find a more suitable expression even in a dictionary), and the fact that, surprisingly, they also thought of the victims and survivors. I don't often see such an approach in films today. It is more common to worry about whether the criminal is provided with enough comfort in prison, and whether his victims didn’t violate any of his rights or personal integrity before their torturous death. (05.01.2021)

A realistically shot French crime drama that evokes older French films with actors like Gabin and Delon. But it's modern, it's raw, and it's quite gritty when it comes to the crime scene shots. But the focus is mainly on the characters and their relationships and their development, which puts the story a bit in the background. (06.08.2017)

It seems crazy to me that the film is based on real events, as the brutality of the murders was quite shocking. Otherwise, Serial Killer 1 does not deviate from the usual standard of similarly tuned crime thrillers. Another problem I see is that the central character of the detective searching for a serial killer of women is rather bland, despite some resemblance to Alain Delon. Perhaps the only one worth mentioning is Adama Niane, who gave an excellent performance as the assassin Guy Georges. (65%) (05.09.2020)