21/25
Line of Events
Two girls disappear
Police rookie Paul Chartier joins an undercover unit tracking a sex offender. After the operation fails, Chartier goes after the perpetrators alone, frustrated by the legal restrictions. (2024). In Maldoror, director Fabrice du Welz examines one of the darkest pages in recent Belgian history.
This failure led to a complete reorganization of the police force
The kidnapping and death of several teenage girls by Marc Dutroux caused a national trauma in 1996. The fact that local police forces and criminal investigators barely cooperated during the investigation may have cost the girls their lives. The film tells the story from the point of view of a police officer, Paul Charlier, who searches the basement where the girls are hiding. He hears them whispering, but cannot find them due to the limited search warrant.
Charlie knows he is right, but his superiors have other priorities
These events are real, but Du Welz mixes fact and fiction in his film. It depicts the cop as a typical street cop who prefers his intuition to rules and procedures. Ultimately, his stubbornness and lack of respect for authority lead to his downfall, the end of his marriage, but also to his ultimate moral victory. The film is both a thrilling crime thriller and a character study of Charlie.
Visually, the film is a joy to watch
His strong will is a result of his upbringing: his parents were far from respecting the law. He is determined to be “on the right side”, but for him what matters is hunting down criminals. If rules and regulations get in the way, he ignores them. The desolate industrial area of Charleroi, where the kidnappings took place, is used to the fullest.
But some events are obviously fictional
Furthermore, the desperation of the city, where illegal activities seem to thrive, adds to the dark atmosphere. The film documents an important part of Belgian history and for those who follow the events of the time it makes for an interesting interpretation. To make an exciting crime thriller with political elements, the film abandoned historical accuracy.
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