The Last Panthers

The Last Panthers is loosely based on The Pink Panthers, a Balkan criminal organization with a penchant for all things glitter. The Pink Panthers are responsible for some of the most spectacular ram raids in the history of the crooks' guild. Reason enough for Vice to make a movie out of it (do what Joetjoeben) and for Sky Atlantic a nice coat rack for a six-part series full of alpha males with various issues. In the heart of Marseille, a number of masked rascals take off after fluttering with a few hammer pistols with a good amount of diamonds. Nice shit of course, because those things are super small, so go and find them again. Insurance agent Naomi Franckom and police officer Khalil Rachedi are blamed for that difficult job and they have a tough job doing it. The search takes them not only across Europe, but also through the dark forgotten alleys of their past. When you, as a producer, ask David Bowie to make the music for your intro, you think big and that is often the cradle of beauty. If Bowie also says yes, then you are all right. The result is a nice ominous kick-off for four and a half hours of oppressive darkness, as you mainly know it from Danish series. The difference is that there is also a good tablespoon of French grimness. Anyone who saw series like Braquo, Engrenages and, to a lesser extent, Spotless knows that those troubadours can hide behind their swooning love songs, but deep down they are just as cut up as anything. While The Killing and The Bridge still have something warm and friendly, the French viewing sometimes balances on the brink of unpleasant. It is at the Christmas table that uncle who was too present drank bad drinks, made that discussion just a little too personal and when doing the dishes, flirted inappropriately with your girlfriend. It pinches, it rubs, it pinches and you have to love that and so I do that. But it's not all hosanna, streamers and confetti cannons, there is also some whining. I'm a sucker for different storylines that slowly but surely merge, but it all has to remain a bit realistic and that's not the case in The Last Panthers. You don't even notice it that much, but if you think again afterwards about what you actually saw, you can't help but be slightly disappointed. It is very stiff how all the main characters are connected to each other. I think it's a shame. Not super disturbing or anything, but a pity. A bit that you felt like Cheese Onion, but that it is finished and you are actually quite satisfied with your portion of Bolognese pity. www.gumstarr.com