22 Bullets
Director: Richard Berry
Starring: Jean Reno, Marina Foïs, Kad Merad
Forget Paris. When it comes to cinema's Gallic gangsters, the French port of Marseille has always been a hive of villainy - from Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo's charismatic 1930s thugs in Borsalino to the drug-dealers in French Connection II.
Films: The National watches
Last Updated: 20 June, 2011 UAE
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Now we can add another, Charly Matteï (Reno) – though, like all criminals with half a brain, he's taken early retirement to enjoy family life. Things change, however, when he remarkably lives through a car park-staged attempt on his life, surviving the slugs of the title (little wonder the French title translates as "The Immortal"). Out for revenge, and up against some old friends and foes, on his case is a female police officer (Foïs) determined to stop his vendetta. But as the story unfolds, the clichés start to stack up like empty shell-casings. Like Reno's previous crime genre forays (from Luc Besson's Léon to John Frankenheimer's Ronin), there's no denying 22 Bullets has style and swagger. Some scenes - from the opening hit to Charly entangled in a mesh of barbed wire – are memorably staged, while Reno portrays his man with his usual gruff charm. In his fourth film, Berry (who also plays a rival gangster in the film) directs briskly, while the script gives Reno the odd moment of comic whimsy. But, despite this hailing from a true story, neither Berry nor Reno can truly elevate it beyond being a visceral potboiler, pure and simple. Those seeking an undemanding night out should apply.
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DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
