Yamakasi

The plot (minimalist as it may be) concerns a group of seven Parkour specialists (the Yamakasi of the films title) who resolve to utilise their amazing skills in order to undertake some highly energetic burglaries; the intention being that the stolen loot will be used to pay for a little lads desperately needed heart transplant. The intentional irony is that the 'victims' whom our heroes are stealing from are the very same unscrupulous doctors who are making vast sums of money on the side for these dubious organ deals.

The above scenario provides the requisite excuse for some awesome free running displays throughout, probably most spectacularly in one sequence wherein three of our heroes are chased around a lavish entrance hall by some ferocious guard dogs.

Aside from the incredible acrobatic displays another factor which really lifts the film is its curious feel good factor which permeates throughout. Another reviewer here summed it up best by likening this to a children's film although certainly not in any derogatory way. Scenes of violence are entirely eschewed in favour of relief comedy instead which makes for a pleasantly refreshing change.

I've read some reviews bemoaning the fact that with seven main protagonists plus a number of other major characters, all cramped into a 90 or so minute film, character development is inevitably limited. Whilst admittedly true, I really didn't find it to be an issue here as our hero's are such an instantly likable bunch and after all, it's their physical agility that is the real star anyway.

Overall, after hearing so many Luke warm verdicts on this film, I was very pleasantly surprised after finally viewing it for myself. It requires nothing more than to sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacle. Certainly if like me, you enjoyed this and your Parkour appetite has been whetted, then you would be well advised to seek out its semi sequel, Les Fils Du Vent and the awesome District 13 for some more free running shenanigans.

In the wonderful world of the well fed children who have nothing to fear but taxes when it comes to having to deal with the state there grows the fairy tale of the Yamakasi. It's fake. It lacks imagination unless for the idea of the tall building climbers. But that thing is going to be done far better in New Police Story three years later.

Probably the worse thing in this production is the scenario and the political goals. In a world where young people of low qualification and of foreign descent hardly gets any employment, in a world where most young people of that region can't find steady jobs even with good genes and an education, well, all the Yamakasi are employed if they don't have anything better to do. In this fantasy dimension the police knows them, wants them, yet they can't get them at home as they do in real life France.

And if the prototype of the idiot is the cop in most bad taste jokes, the maghrebin cop has no contact with the outside world. He's precisely the virgin who's trying, hard, to run a brothel.

Really, if there wasn't the purpose of propaganda nobody would have produced such junk. But, hey, the whole nation can see the darkies have it all: a fair chance for transplant, friendly police and jobs to choose from. It's only their evil nature that stands in the ways of friendship between the white majority and the others. And to keep things simple for the target audience to be able to follow the simple ideas they are fed all the targets live in the area of the same police district and the same cops are on duty on each event.