22 Bullets
| 22 Bullets | |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Richard Berry |
| Produced by |
Luc Besson Pierre-Ange Le Pogam |
| Screenplay by |
Éric Assous Richard Berry |
| Based on |
L'Immortel by Franz-Olivier Giesbert |
| Starring |
Jean Reno Kad Merad Richard Berry Marina Foïs Jean-Pierre Darroussin Catherine Samie Joeystarr |
| Music by | Klaus Badelt |
| Cinematography | Thomas Hardmeier |
| Edited by | Camille Delamarre |
| Distributed by | EuropaCorp. Distribution |
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Release date
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Running time
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115 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | $20 million |
| Box office | $21.3 million |
22 Bullets (French: L'Immortel - "The Immortal") is a French film directed by Richard Berry. It tells a part of the life story of Jacky Imbert, and is based on the novel L'Immortel (2007) by Franz-Olivier Giesbert. Filming began on 23 February 2009 in Marseille, in Avignon in early April 2009, and continued for 8 weeks in Paris.
Three years ago mafia boss Charly Matteï retired and left the business to his old friend Tony Zacchia, and has led a peaceful life since, devoting himself to his wife and two children. His past catches up with him when he is ambushed by an eight-man hit squad in a parking lot and left for dead with 22 bullets in his body. Against all odds, he survives to take revenge on his killers.
On the hunt for the shooters, he finds himself confronted with his criminal past and resulting threat to his family. He tries to identify those responsible without bloodshed. This "weakness" is, however, exploited, and his friend Karim is brutally murdered by the same people who had shot him. Matteï swears revenge and goes on a hunt for the masterminds of the attack. He visits the hit squad during a birthday celebration and announces that he will kill them one by one anytime, anywhere.
Marie Goldman is the policewoman investigating the shooting in the parking lot. Her husband, who was also a policeman, was killed in the service but his killer was never caught. Despite the indifference of her superiors, she would like to clear up the murder of her husband. Towards the end of the movie, in order to get to Zacchia, a desperate Matteï makes a deal with Goldman, who herself is divided between doing her duty and punishing the murderers of her husband who she suspects were Zacchia's men. The police get a USB drive containing data incriminating Zacchia in a money fraud and laundering operation. He finally confronts Tony Zacchia at his home and is about to kill him, but is interrupted by the police who end up arresting both Zacchia and Matteï.
In the end, Matteï is released as the cops do not have enough evidence to charge him. Goldman had earlier in the movie revealed to Matteï that one of the 8 shooters had missed him on purpose in the shootout at the start of the movie. Matteï figures out that this eighth shooter was his friend and lawyer who had been forced by Zacchia into shooting Matteï. He is forgiven by Matteï and the movie ends with Matteï walking with his family on a beach. His voiceover tells the audience that he had left his past life behind him and all he wanted to do was spend whatever possible time he had left with his family. He also says that he will no more have to look over his shoulder as he is at peace with his past. As they walk away, he turns and looks over his shoulder which tells us that there is no getting away from his past for him, ever.
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