La Haine (1995)

The critic praises the film's virtuoso, on-the-edge style and its deep engagement with the reality of life in the Paris projects. The characterization shows maturity and depth beyond agitprop, making it a vital, scalding piece of work.

The review praises it as rousing entertainment and brilliant filmmaking, highlighting its nuanced treatment of race, violence, and class, and the aesthetic triumphs like black-and-white cinematography and dynamic style.

Ebert finds the film a mature, insightful portrait of three young men from different ethnic backgrounds navigating alienation in sterile Paris suburbs amid police tensions and social unrest. He praises Kassovitz's alert black-and-white cinematography that captures the hostile environment and society's role in their predicament rather than individual choice.

The critic praises the film's effervescent energy and comedy amid its depiction of banlieue rage and inequality, noting its timely relevance in the Black Lives Matter era. They single out Vincent Cassel's breakthrough performance as the standout element supplying the film's rocket-fuel of resentment.

The critic hails Kassovitz's debut as a raw, radical Molotov cocktail thrown at staid French cinema, blending polemic, comedy and parable in a 24-hour portrait of banlieue youth after a riot. It singles out the film's striking black-and-white visuals and use of space to convey isolation and tension for particular praise.

The review calls the film an agitprop masterpiece that remains as provocative as a petrol bomb nearly a decade on. It highlights the powerful black-and-white shooting and hip-hop score as capturing growing frustration in post-riot Paris, declaring it the best urban angst film since Do the Right Thing.

The review describes it as a layered, intelligent take on police-youth hatred that builds to a stunning crescendo, following three ethnically diverse friends over 24 hours. It praises Kassovitz's mature tone, narrative cohesion, and edgy camerawork.

The critic finds the film bracing and urgent with raw verve in depicting social rupture, praising its punk energy, unpredictable scenes, and rich dialogue despite some contrived elements and false notes.

The critic praises the re-release for its immediate, tough black-and-white photography and lasting punch as a portrait of multiracial suburban tension and police brutality. It singles out Kassovitz's success in finding humanity across all characters, from the central trio to peripheral figures.

The critic calls this re-release the best film of the week and a ferocious, uncompromising portrait of poverty and racial tension in Parisian suburbs that remains highly pertinent. It praises the edgy acting, black-and-white photography and balanced but clear-eyed view of the divide between haves and have-nots.

Thomas calls the film raw, vital, and captivating, following three friends through a restless day after a police beating sparks riots. He singles out the strong American pop culture influence, bold visual style, and the poignant solidarity among the characters united against a racist society.

The review highlights the film's raw portrayal of violence and frustration in immigrant suburbs, noting its break from traditional French cinema and its focus on three resentful young men seeking revenge after a police incident. It observes the challenges of translating the distinctive slang and its resonance with American urban issues.