The Burma Conspiracy   Starring: Tomer Sisley, Sharon Stone and Ulrich Tukur Studiocanal RRP: £15.99 OPTD2311 Certificate: 15 Available 23 January 2012

Following the brutal murder of his father, Largo Winch finds himself the head of a multibillion corporation. The life of a power broker is not for Largo, so he arranges to give the billions away to benefit mankind. The same day that he completes arrangements he is accused of crimes against humanity, specifically that he was complicit in the massacre of a Burmese village. With time running out Largo must battle the international prosecutor and his enemies to discover the truth behind the lie...

The Burma Conspiracy (2011 - 1 hr, 53 min, 53 sec) is the second in the Largo Winch films directed by Jérôme Salle. The first film in the series won popularity with audiences and critics alike. This time, presumably to increase its international appeal, Salle has introduced a touch of Hollywood with the inclusion of Sharon Stone, as prosecutor Diane Francken

The main location for the film are the colourful and dangerous jungle of Burma as well as Geneva, though like any good thriller, in the Bond tradition, other locations are thrown in to give the story a globetrotting feel from sumptuous shots of Hong Kong to the cold austerity of Switzerland.

What we really want to know is, what are the action sequences like? There are a good few chases and fights throughout the film, most of which are well realised, I especially enjoyed the chase through the docklands, after Largo insults a Russian businessman, Dmitri Nazarov (Virgil Nazarov), though this is only one of many car chases. The fight scenes are likewise well choreographed.

Fans of the first film will likely not agree with the more international, dare we say, Hollywood feel of the film, especially with the inclusion of Sharon Stone. Not that there is anything wrong with Stone’s acting, she doesn’t even have that big a role or screen time.

The plot is complicated, although it is also an intelligent script and the final reveal of who is really trying to destroy Largo comes as a genuine surprise.

Tomer Sisley, as Largo, is a confident, attractive and engaging actor, not quite Bond, but then this is not a spy thriller. He certainly has no trouble in dominating the scenes which he appears in. Of course, there is also a love story on the go, with Malunai (Tapakpapha Nakprasitte), a pretty Burmese woman with who he spends time in the jungle; she becomes both the object of his affection and his weakest link.

When the whole plot goes into overdrive Largo finds himself returning to the jungle to free his lady love, track down the only man who can clear his name, Simon (Olivier Barthelemy) and take on a, money mad, rogue general, whilst dodging a trio of hired mercenaries. The end of the film is a somewhat muted affair, but then this follows a rather thrilling free falling chase.

Oddly enough, for a film which looks good and has high value shots, the extras are non-existent. Except for a trailer, there is a big fat nothing on the disc. The clean picture has an anamorphic aspect ratio of 2.35:1, with audio options fort either a 2.0 or 5.1 track. The film is in both French and English, with subs for the French language.

If you’re looking for a new thriller I could highly recommend this for a warm night in.

7

Charles Packer