Arsène Lupin

[pro-bassoonist]

Set to be released on August 14th.

Based on Maurica LeBlanc's much-adapted series of French novels about a gentleman crook, this convoluted period romp/bodice-buster is a potboiler that steams so fulsomely it ends up way, way overcooked. Granted, it looks suave. The Robin Hood-ish hero, Arsene Lupin (Romain Duris), is a pair of cheekbones on legs who models more disguises in 20 minutes than Jennifer Garner does in a whole series of Alias.

Lupin winds up in above his neck when he gets embroiled in a royalist conspiracy involving treasure-hunting, assassination and a passionate affair made distinctly steamy by a vampish Kristin Scott Thomas. On top of this anachronistic set-up, helmer Jean-Paul Salome adds some heaped tablespoons of Matrix-ish kick boxing mischief and a plot so fast and foolish you almost don't notice how ridiculous it all is. Almost, mind.

Pro-B