I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

This miniseries, three hours from an original five hours, is the story of Carlos the Jackal, a Venezuelan terrorist who operated in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. His most famous attack was on an OPEC meeting in 1975. Sixty hostages were taken and 3 people killed.Carlos, real name Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, was allied with the Palestinian/anti-Zionism cause, seeking justice and equality. Written and directed by Olivier Assayas, the twenty-year sojourn of Carlos has some of the dialogue from Stasi recordings; the director fits in real events, mixing in actual footage and some fictional ones of meeting and negotiations.Carlos was committed to the cause, but he was also egomaniacal and ambitious, besides being somewhat of a mercenary. He was also a womanizer and believed that his destiny was to be killed.Once the wall came down, Carlos became an artifact, drifting from country to country seeking asylum, and finally being moved to French soil while he was ill, so that he could be put on trial.Edgar Ramirez does a fantastic job as Carlos. Like many of the South American or Spanish actors I've seen, he is completely natural and believable. It helped also that he can speak several languages as the character needed to slip in and out of them. He is an enigmatic Carlos, a powerful man who could take over a group with very little effort.There are many bombings, car chases, and meetings to be had and for some it may be tedious to follow. I found it very well made and interesting.

CARLOS THE JACKAL is a French TV miniseries biopic that gets into the heart and soul of the man who was Carlos the Jackal. Carlos was a Venezuelan left-wing revolutionary who embarked on an extensive terror campaign across the world in the 1970s: a campaign designed to free Palestine through bombings, assassinations, and the taking of hostages. The miniseries follows him from his humble beginnings to his final days behind hunted down by old foes.Be warned: this is a VERY lengthy miniseries and even watching it in three parts takes some dedication. It's very much in the feel of the likes of THE BAADER-MEINHOF COMPLEX and MESRINE, with the emphasis on realism throughout, with terrorist attacks carried out in a matter-of-fact way. The writers enjoy exploring the minutiae of the situation, from the various campaigns themselves to Carlos's mindset and way of life. It's an incredibly political film that works as an engaging historical document, putting into clarity the complexities of Western-Arab relations during the 1970s and beyond.Inevitably the story belongs to Edgar Ramirez (THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM), who makes the film his own as the larger-than-life titular character. But the supporting cast are equally authentic, and there are lots of fine set-pieces. Be warned, though, things do slow down in the last third, where Carlos's fate is played out in almost excruciating slow motion. It takes some sitting thorough, but the experience as a whole is a rewarding one.

This 3 part series follows the "career" of Carlos from about 1973 to 1994. A psychopathic killer and terrorist leader he was responsible for a rash of bombings and assassinations for various groups mainly Palestinian causes. He was finally captured in Sudan in 1994.The movie is nicely filmed with period details adhered to. It seems to have been mostly filmed in Beirut with that venue passing for Tripoli Algiers etc... in any case it is convincing.What struck me is that the 911 attacks were nothing new...terrorists in the 1970s were taking OPEC ministers hostage blowing up planes etc... I am cynical enough to wonder why now there has to be trillions spent on the war on terror...seems they managed back then with out doing that. The military industrial complex needed a new threat after the cold war ended.Another flaw is the group is made to seem almost chic in their running from country to country. But that is minor.It is pretty good if you need to kill 6 hours.

Anything this long and in three parts runs the risk of descending into pathos or melodrama, but CARLOS remains interesting throughout. The portrait of the famous terrorist is neither flattering nor harsh and, indeed, different viewers may come away from the film admiring or despising him. The different terrorist operations Carlos was involved in, far fewer than you may think, are not overly dramatic and are filled with the problems, messiness and failures that real life provides. The scenes (particularly the action ones) are alternately attractive and gritty with the latter group; e.g., hostages held overlong in a airplane, almost supplying accompanying stench. The assortment of terrorists from various cultures and countries is a disaffected lot believably drawn - and then trapped - into their choice of lives. Especially attractive is the portrayal of the politics of the various countries and covert agencies as we learn (before Carlos and his fellow terrorists do) that self-interest, not idealism, is always the driving force. My only criticism is minor: The terrorists, as well as all involved, drink like fish; e.g., Carlos has booze in his hand for a substantial part of the film. At least five cases of Johnny Walker is seen consumed! Bit too heavy on the product placement?