Kiss the girls

Wrongfully convicted for murder, Henri Charriere forms an unlikely relationship with fellow inmate and quirky convicted counterfeiter, Louis Dega, in an attempt to escape from the notorious penal colony on Devil's Island.
76/100544 min
Title
Papillon (2017)
Duration
02h 13m
Release date
13-09-2018
Director
Michael Noer
Studio
Czech Anglo Productions
Overall Score
Rating Overview
Plot
Characters
Pace
Originality
Rating Summary
Papillon (2017) is, all in all, a fantastic film, though for those who have seen the original, it may not bring much that’s new.

Papillon tells the life story of Henri Charrière, a French criminal and writer who became famous for his autobiographical novel of the same name. The title Papillon comes from the tattoo Henri had on his chest, which depicted a butterfly.

The film begins in 1931, when Henri is arrested and sentenced for a murder he always insisted he did not commit. His sentence is harsh and final: he is transported to Devil’s Island in French Guiana, a former leper colony where only the most dangerous criminals were sent. There, Henri befriends Louis Dega, and together they plot an escape from the brutal penal colony, where it’s estimated that around 80% of prisoners perished.

Papillon remains an incredibly gripping and rich narrative, regardless of whether every detail is 100% accurate or not.

Papillon is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name, starring Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen. The original is a classic, widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, and it is included on many film lovers’ lists of personal favorites — including mine.

One of the most compelling aspects of this film is how it seamlessly blends a wide variety of genres without ever feeling disjointed. Over the years, there have been debates about the authenticity of the events Henri Charrière described in his book. Some have questioned whether his version of the story is entirely factual. Nonetheless, Papillon remains an incredibly gripping and rich narrative, regardless of whether every detail is 100% accurate or not.

The length is often considered too long by many, but in my view, a film of such stature requires that kind of runtime. Personally, I didn’t feel the film was a minute too long. Compared to the first part, the setting/the prison seems to be depicted a little less impressively here. It’s a minor drawback, because the bleakness of the cells and the feeling of ‘you can’t escape from here’ were so well conveyed in the original.

That brings us to the big question: can the remake live up to the original? In my opinion, yes. However, it’s not that this film surpasses its predecessor. In the end, you’re left wondering why a (already very successful) first part even needs a remake. Papillon (2017) is, all in all, a fantastic film, though for those who have seen the original, it may not bring much that’s new.

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