Xavier Gens is a capable director of extreme violence, worth following when the choreography is the attraction. Gangs of London suits his strengths, but also shows why inventive fights need more convincing stories around them.
Fi1m perspective
In Gangs of London (2020), the fights are inventive even when the gangland plotting becomes less persuasive. We were excited by the choreography, then worn down by the relentless brutality. Xavier Gens directed three episodes, an assignment well suited to his interest in violence and people under extreme pressure. His handling of action is worth seeking out, though we would recommend it to enthusiasts with strong stomachs rather than make a general invitation of it.
His feature breakthrough came from two different jobs in the same year. He wrote and directed the French-language horror Frontier(s) (2007), associated with New French Extremity, and directed the English-language studio film Hitman (2007). The latter was compromised by studio interference, which makes it an awkward film on which to base a verdict about his control. The independent The Divide (2011) put human behaviour under pressure at the centre of a post-apocalyptic survival story. Across these changes of production, his recurring interest is what people do when their circumstances become intolerable.
In Gangs of London, created by Gareth Evans, he works within a shared production, and we would not hand him sole credit for its action. The programme gives him scope for his strengths in choreography and extreme violence, while Sope Dirisu supplies the commanding presence that helps hold our attention. Dirisu is an important part of why the series remains worth watching when the plotting falters. Our reservation is about the relentlessness: even inventive brutality becomes wearing when there is so much of it.
The shark thriller Under Paris (2024), which he also wrote, continues his work in genre cinema. It is a recognisable choice for a filmmaker who has moved between extreme horror, post-apocalyptic survival and gangland action. We are most interested when his skill at staging violence is matched by a performer who can keep us involved between the fights. Start with Gangs of London, provided a punishing evening is what was intended.
Biography
Xavier Gens is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. Born in Dunkirk in 1975, he began by directing short films before making his feature debut with the English-language action film Hitman (2007).
He is known for directing the horror films Frontier(s) (2007) and The Divide (2012), as well as Cold Skin (2017). Gens has also worked in television, directing episodes of Crossing Lines, three episodes of the first season of Gangs of London (2020), and episodes of Lupin. His later feature credits include Under Paris (2024).
