French action-drama film Ad Vitam is boring and at times comical for all the wrong reasons. It’s one of those films that makes you wonder why it was produced in the first place. Our protagonist, Franck Lazareff, was being repeatedly harassed for unknown reasons. His wife, Leo, figured that Franck had gotten involved with the wrong people when their apartment was ransacked twice in a short span. There were people searching for something at their place, and with a baby on the way, Leo could not believe that Franck had put her and their future at risk like this. Soon, armed men broke into their apartment, threatening Franck to hand over the secret item he had been hiding, but he refused to follow their instructions. The armed men kidnapped Leo, and the only way he could get her back was by giving in to their demands.
Spoiler Alert
How did Nico die?
We soon learn that Franck was no ordinary man; ten years ago he had joined GIGN, the elite police tactical unit of France. That was when he met Leo and fell in love with her. Together, they were determined to live an extraordinary life. Joining the GIGN was an obvious choice for Franck because of his father. He had learned about the risks involved in the job when he lost his father at a young age. He was handed his father’s badge when he joined the unit, and he noticed that on the back of the badge his father had written ‘Ad Vitam,’ meaning ‘For Life.’ Franck always wore the badge with pride.
Franck met Nico during his training at GIGN. He was not just a teammate but also a great friend to Franck and Leo. Nico and his wife Menon encouraged Franck to consider having children sometime in the future, but neither Franck nor Leo was ready for it. Franck worried that his child might also have to deal with loss at a young age as he had done, and he thought it would simply be unfair to his kid. But for Nico, his family was his foundation, and it was because of them that he felt all the more focused and collected. The responsibility helped him deal with danger tactically instead of facing it head-on. He hoped Franck would understand that having a family was not a weakness but a strength, and in a way would help him keep himself and his team out of danger.
Fast-forward to nine years later, Franck, Nico, and Ben (their junior) took on a risky operation. That night, Leo contacted Franck to inform him that she was pregnant, but since he was heading out on an operation, he decided to talk to her later. Franck had received a call from a hotel doorman informing him that he had heard gunshots. As GIGN, they could not get involved in matters not under their domain, so he contacted the local police. It was ultimately decided that before the police arrived at the scene, they would enter the hotel premises to gather information and would intervene until backup arrived.
As soon as they entered the hotel, they noticed two men and a woman walking down the stairs. When Franck stopped them, the men pulled out their guns and started to shoot. They held the woman at gunpoint, and while Franck dealt with the hostage situation, Nico tried to tackle the other perpetrator. By the time Franck shot the armed man and backup arrived, Nico was already on the floor, bleeding. Franck tried to help, but it was too late; Nico had passed away. Even though it was a collective decision, Franck could not help but blame himself for endangering the lives of his team members. He was eventually discharged from the unit because he failed to anticipate the danger and put his team at risk.
What secret was Franck hiding?
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the two men at the hotel were petty thieves, but Franck refused to believe it. Both he and Ben were convinced that the men were professional criminals, and that the truth was yet to surface. In the meantime, Franck discovered that Leo was pregnant, and he was overjoyed. They shifted to a new apartment, and while arranging his things, he came across his father’s badge and noticed a bloodstain on it (crucial evidence from the hotel shootout). Franck decided to conduct a medical test; after going through the results, he figured his guess was right.
Franck met Ben and disclosed that, according to the results, one of the men was Salim Lakdaoui, former special forces, who was currently working for the DGSI (French General Directorate for Internal Security), and offered his services to other ministries as well. Ben advised Franck to stay away from the matter because the truth was far too complicated, and it would land him in serious trouble. Franck kept the test report and his badge in a safe and hid the key in a concealed spot on the terrace.
Why were the armed men after Franck?
Franck knew that Ben was right; exposing the truth would lead to consequences, but at the same time he thought the truth must be told. So, he contacted a journalist and requested that she confirm that his identity would remain concealed, and that after sharing the information, he and his family would not become targets. The journalist agreed to his terms, but it was soon revealed in Ad Vitam that the journalist was actually a government agent. The information reached the prime minister, and it was disclosed that seven months ago, a former Navy Seal and current CIA operative, Colonel John Brennan, arrived in France with his team to negotiate an arms deal with Australia. Under the supervision of the DGSI, on the day of the meeting, two DGSI agents were supposed to retrieve certain important files, but as it so happened, things didn’t go as planned. This explained why the government concealed information and the media had reported that the two men were merely thieves. If the truth surfaced, the government would face severe repercussions, and of course, they could not let that happen. Silencing Franck was absolutely crucial, and the only way they could do so was by destroying the evidence he had. That was why they had ransacked his house and eventually kidnapped Leo. Will Franck hand over the evidence to protect his wife and unborn child? Or will he continue to put up a fight for the truth?
Did Franck, Leo, and Ben survive?
During Ad Vitam’s ending, the armed men headed by Vanaken, had searched Franck’s apartment, but they were yet to find the key. Franck had hidden it in the bathroom sink, and when he tried to retrieve it, he realized it was gone. The police chased Franck after they spotted him at his apartment. Franck realized he needed help, and the only person he could rely on was Ben. Without the key, Franck no longer had leverage, and he also had to find a way to bring Leo while avoiding the police. Ben instructed Franck to lie to the armed men and tell them he would hand over the bloodstained badge. They asked him to arrive at Rambouillet Forest, and instead of the actual badge, Ben and Franck packed a fake one with them.
Upon arriving at the designated spot and handing over the fake badge to Vanaken, Franck realized that the men had no intentions of letting him or his wife go. They planned to make it look as if Franck was frustrated with his life, so he killed his wife and unborn child before shooting himself. But thankfully, Franck never fell into their trap. While the armed men assumed they were the ones in control and were about to shoot Franck and Leo, Ben arrived, donning a mask and killing the men. Franck, Ben, and Leo managed to kill even more of them as they approached and made it to their car. As they tried to drive away, Vanaken and his men continued to follow them. During the chase, Leo got shot, and Franck realized that he had to find a way to divert their attention from Leo so that she could make it to the hospital. He decided to deal with Vanaken on his own and asked Ben to drive Leo to a hospital. From hopping on a dirt bike to paragliding over Versailles, Franck did everything in his power to stay away from the armed men and the police.
In Ad Vitam’s ending, the GIGN also got involved, and Franck made it to the hospital right on time and attacked Vanaken after he physically assaulted Ben. The GIGN had surrounded the area and instructed Franck to surrender. He was ready to do so, but only after he ensured Leo was admitted to the hospital. Franck was ultimately arrested and locked up in prison. We soon find out that Leo was alive and well. She had given birth to a healthy baby girl, and she often visited Franck. She did not give up on the case, and as it turned out, Leo had the key to the safe. When the armed men forcefully entered their apartment, she had rushed to the washroom and taken away the key. She used the evidence Franck had collected to plead his innocence in court. Not only that, as a result of the evidence, the scandalous practice of the government was exposed. Even though life had thrown them unforeseen challenges, together they managed to overcome them. After his release, the couple would finally begin raising their child together and build a strong foundation as Nico had always advised them. Ben had survived his injuries, and his heart was full seeing Franck finally hold his baby girl in his arms. A sequel might be on the cards. Perhaps the picture-perfect ending won’t last long, given the massive scandal involving the French ministers. Franck will possibly end up becoming a target again, and he might get caught in the midst of a complex political struggle.
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