This is basically on the same lines as the two CRIMON RIVERS thrillers, also starring Jean Reno; the muddled narrative involves two separate plot lines (a young cop on the trail of a serial killer and the tribulations of a woman apparently suffering from memory loss) which gradually intermingle. The title necessitates a few misleading 'horror' images relating to the girl's disorientation (especially since it all boils down to revolve around a drug-trafficking organization, with Paris and Istanbul for backdrops!); Reno is an iconoclastic ex-cop to whom the rookie turns for advice, but who is driven to distraction by his violent ways! Though action-packed, the film is more intriguing for its thematic pretensions: the heroine discovers that she has had her features altered, eventually reverting from bourgeois housewife to her true self – a Turkish immigrant with connections to the underworld, finding herself therefore suddenly resourceful enough to outwit or otherwise deal with her pursuers! Her 'husband' is revealed to be among them, but also Reno (actually a double agent), as well as a man she seemed to be familiar with but could not quite place; the latter, in fact, turns out to be the serial killer eluding the Police, driven towards recreating the anguished expression of a statue through his crimes (and with the woman herself being next in line)! A mildly interesting and enjoyable film, then, especially during its first half (if not especially memorable or rewarding) but, apart from feeling decidedly overlong at 128 minutes, its latter stages unfortunately turn into just another action movie.

" Empire of the Wolves" is a smart and hip thriller with some supernatural elements. Two, at first glance, unconnected stories slowly, but surely merge and form the whole puzzle. What stands out in this movie is the rainy, drizzly cinematography.Gray, stifled light, lends an oppressive aura to the already deeply affected viewer. Paris in this story is not a city of love and romance. This Paris is a city of filth and rats, of human slavery and relentless violence. Maybe, not a great advertisement for expected tourists, but a welcome twist for movie lovers. All in all interesting and fresh movie, with spark of originality.

My husband, who's french, commented at the end of the movie: "Of all the things I don't get about about this film, the biggest one is why Jean Reno signed on to do it." It's entertaining enough if you compare it to other sub-grade action flicks. What it's not is a Fifth Element, Mission Impossible, The Professional, Face-Off, Bourne Anything, Heat, or anything remotely decent in between, altho it aspires to be all... but falls short of not-even-close. So if you're looking to be wowed in the french-movie-action sense, skip it. Best time to put it on? Muted during a party when everyone else is busy doing something else... the gunshooting and flashbacks make for good lighting.

Not a bad action/thriller.A bit slow for a action movie, and not quite thrilling enough for a thriller. Still the action sequences were well done and some of the fighting sequences verged on excellent.The story was slightly far fetched and tho the writers tried for twists it was really very straight forward.Jean Reno was good as always and I thought Jocelyn Quivrin was excellent.This movie was like a cross between "the borne identity", "seven" and 100 average cop movies.Worth a watch id you like Jean Reno.