The Reel Review
A mild-mannered graphic designer is forced to make significant changes to his life when random people start becoming enraged at the mere sight of him and try to kill him. Karim Leklou and Vimala Pons star in this French dark comedy fantasy/horror/thriller.
The genre mashup Vincent Must Die (Vincent doit mourir in French) is a metaphor about the increasingly paranoid, irrationally violent world in which we live. The execution by co-writer/director Stephan Castang, in his film debut, starts off well enough, but the story ultimately leaves a bit to be desired, with increasingly awkward pacing, pointless subplots and a disappointing finale that frankly falls flat. The AI-dubbing is also distracting. Give us French with subtitles, please.
Leklou is solid as the mildly depressed, cow-eyed protagonist whose world is inexplicably turned upside down without warning, with Pons as a waitress/love interest who is dealing with her own stalker situation. A little more explanation of what caused the rage outbreak, and why only some people are the targets, would have helped.
REEL FACTS
• Vincent Must Die incorporates AI for its English language dub.
• Karim Leklou’s film credits include 2024’s Jim’s Story and 2020’s The Stronghold.
• Born in India, French actress Vimala Pons is also a juggler. Her film credits include 2016’s Elle and 2017’s The Wild Boys.
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