Whilst it’s been two decades since French director Florent-Emilio Siri dipped his toe in the action genre with the 2005 Bruce Willis vehicle Hostage, it’s evident he hasn’t lost any flair for such, with his relentless Elyas touching on topical themes whilst proving rousing as an exaggerated vehicle in the same vein of a Liam Neeson or Jason Statham fronted effort.
Adhering to the classic nature of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, Siri sets up a familiar premise across Elyas‘s tight 100 minutes, with the titular character (stoically embodied by the intimidating Roschdy Zem), a former Special Forces soldier, called upon to act as a bodyguard for the wealthy, kept-wife of a Middle Eastern mobster type, Amina (Laëtitia Eïdo), and her rebellious teenage daughter, Nour (Jeanne Michel). Despite Nour’s intrusive, annoying nature, we can already telegraph the fact that Elyas will warm to her, and, thankfully, Michel balances the right amount of tween exasperation and genuine likeability, so that when the inevitable merde hits the fan, we care about her safety.
Though it doesn’t travel down the human trafficking route, it does touch on the disturbing thematic of the very teen-aged Nour being forced into a marriage, and it was because of her father’s ways that she and Amina fled, with the assistance of her uncle, for a hopeful (though heavily bodyguarded) new life. It doesn’t take long for Siri to set up the narrative beats, with Amina and Nour being placed in danger when Amina’s actual husband comes back into play to claim both women, leading Elyas to execute his special set of skills in protecting them.
Whilst it does slightly stray from formula in having us question Elyas’s competent state of mind – there are moments that toy with the notion that much of what’s taking place is all in his head, and he could be more of a villainous threat than realised – it ultimately submits to the familiar, with Elyas slicing and shooting his way through a variety of no-goods, resulting in some truly wince-inducing fight sequences that speaks to Siri’s comfort in staging brutal choreography.
With a few bouts of emotionality, Elyas injects just enough heart into its violent, commercial proceedings, resulting in a serviceable vehicle that should further prove to audiences attending this year’s Alliance Française French Film Festival that such events aren’t always endowed with Oscar vehicles or pretentiously perceived dramas. Sometimes, you’re blessed with a straightforward action flick, like Elyas, that serves as a reminder as to just how well genre films are handled outside of the US.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Elyas is screening as part of this year’s Alliance Française French Film Festival, running between March 4th and 27th April, 2025 across major Australian cities. For more information on screenings, cinema locations, and city dates, head to the official website here.
