Lupin Part 2 (2021) Review

The first part of Lupin came out early this year to rave reviews including from myself and after a long wait I have finally got through Part 2 and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees Assane still attempting to take down Pellegrini while trying to find his son. 

Main Character

Omar Sy is back as Assane Diop and he is fantastic in this role. You truly end up caring about Assane and despite some of the questionable things he has done you want to see him succeed in his overall mission. He is so charming and charismatic and creates this really interesting persona that sucks you in and make this a really great lead character that leads this story well. 

Supporting Characters

The rest of the cast are also fantastic, filled with prime French talent they are compelling and very interesting characters. The allies to Assane are interesting and have their own motivations and ideas and the bad guys are slimy and bad people that we want to see taken down. 

Story 

The story feels like it is split into two and for me I did prefer the last couple of episodes as they felt more interesting to me. The story continues to do a really good job in showing Assane's personal story and his motivation for revenge. The show manages to convey its heist and mystery ideals and it raises the stakes from the first season. However, for me it took a little bit for this season to get going and certain elements of the story weren't as great such as the whole family and police storylines.

Script

Despite the script being in a foreign language to me, it was really effective. The mix of drama, humour and complexity is there. They manage to create interesting characters and a narrative that pulls you in and makes you buy some of the more absurd and convenient aspects of the show. 

Style 

The style of the show is good, in terms of visually it impresses. The heists are bigger, the cons are more convoluted and intricate but in a real fun and rewarding way. It just feels like a level up from the first part and that is how it really should be. But the show does have a bit of a pacing issue, as I said it feels like the season is split into two and that can be a little jarring for sure, also there are flashbacks used here and the majority of them feel pointless and like a tacked on reason to explain how something is happening in the main story. 

Overall 

Overall, Lupin Part 2 is a great follow up on its predecessor and keeps up those high levels. If you like interesting heist shows then give Lupin a go and I think you will really enjoy it. 

Rating - 8/10

Lupin Part 1 (2021) Review

I have heard for a while now that Lupin is a great show and a must watch and I have now found some time to watch it and here is my review for the first part of the show. The premise of the show sees a master thief inspired by book character Arsene Lupin attempt to get revenge on a wealthy family. 

Main Character 

Omar Sy is a great actor whether it be in English language or French Language and he really shines here. He is so charismatic on the screen and does a great job portraying this character and making him a really interesting one. Without spoiling anything, this character requires a lot of unique work for Sy and he takes it all in his stride and really gives a memorable performance. 

Supporting Characters

Let's get this right, this is Sy's show and he dominates every scene that he is in and for me that holds back a few of the supporting characters a little bit. There are a few good side characters, like his on and off love interest, the main bad guy and the police commissioner, but for all of these there are a few weaker characters. Especially, the main guy hunting down Sy, he doesn't offer anything that interesting and his character actually makes little sense and the way he goes about things are a bit hard to wrap your head around. There are some other people that are in the show in small ways and they just don't really fit and it made me think that they could have just been left out here. 

Story 

The story is good, Sy's personal story works really well and you do root for him and feel the injustice that has been placed on him and his family. The show also delivers some really fun and interesting heists and seeing him execute these is a great watch. The ending of the season is also great with suspense built when they eventually give us the 2nd part. But this show has bits of the story that aren't that interesting, for example their are lots of flashbacks, some of them are effective but there are too many of them and some that aren't effective that disrupt the flow of the show. Also some of the side plots aren't particularly well developed and feel a bit of a drag on the whole thing. 

Script 

The script is really good, this show is French Language with English Subtitles and that doesn't hold it back at all. The dialogue mixes humour and drama really well and creates this fascinating lead character that you wanna root for and succeed in his goals. 

Style

The style of the show is also great, the heists are really well directed and exciting to watch especially, in the first episode where the show really excels in this department. Also I am going to give credit to the costume department who do a great job as Sy has some interesting disguises which are really well done. The show is only 5 episodes long and it flows very nicely and feels like an appropriate length and makes it a really easy watch that I got through in one day and I would recommend you do the same. 

Overall

Overall, this is a great show. Don't be put off by the French subtitles and give this one a shot you won't regret it and I can't wait for Part 2. 

Rating - 8/10