Regis Blondeau’s directorial debut, Restless dropped this Friday on Netflix. Starring Franck Gastambide, the movie revolves around a French cop who bites more than he could chew. With the weekend already here, you must be wondering if you should watch Thomas Blin, played by Gastambide, clean up his messes. Well, that is why we are here. Let’s find out what critics have to say about the film, so that you can decide whether or not to stream the 96-minute film.

Two bodies in one coffin

Restless’ synopsis is intriguing, but as you watch the movie it gets more intense. Thomas Blin (Franck Gastambide) is not your textbook good cop who cares and protects the weak and the old. His meager cop salary is not enough to sustain his lifestyle. So he takes bribes from criminals and smugglers for looking the other way during their drug shipments. Everything was going well until Internal Affairs decided to show up at the precinct.

In a hurry to reach the police station he knocks off a man who later turns out to be a wanted smuggler, Barcelo. To remove evidence of his crime, he hides the body in his mother’s coffin. But all his efforts were in vain when corrupt narcotics captain Marelli blackmails him. Marelli wants Barcrelo’s body so he sets Thomas on the trail to sniff out his corpse. The question remains whether Thomas can get out of this without getting screwed over by Marelli.

Restless on Netflix is a remake

The reason why Restless feels like it has been done umpteenth times before is because it’s a remake. It is the third remake of a Korean cop thriller, A Hard Day. The 2017 Kim Seong Hun directorial first premiered in Cannes. Soon after, the Philippines rehashed Seong Hun’s material. Then China followed suit, remaking it under the title Peace Breaker.

Critic reviews for the movie

With only 5.3 stars on IMDb, one reviewer calls Restless a “deception.” The movie fails in creating an ambivalent main character. While Regis’ effort was good, the acting and the story left much to be desired. Another says Restless is a “passable” movie with an unnecessary plot twist.

Decider‘s verdict is to Stream it, and says the film is “rewarding enough in its cat-and-mouse game between a corrupt cop and his even more corrupt cop adversary to forgive its issues with pace and tone.”

Meanwhile, Ready Steady Cut feels “The film doesn’t offer anything new regarding the storyline,” and Liesure Byte concurs, calling the film “a very old movie, in the sense that we’ve seen it a thousand other times.”

Restless is a cat and mouse chase between two dirty cops. The familiar narrative can make it extremely boring at times but the way it unfolds is exciting. The plot thickens once you get past the beginning. There is plenty of violence and action in the Netflix movie. Interestingly, the makers have lifted an entire scene from the original flick – the turmoil at the port.

So, should you stream the film on Netflix? Well, if you love your mindless action flick, may Restless will be a good watch for the weekend.