Banger Review
Director: Bertrand de Langeron aka So-Me
Date Created: 2025-04-02 22:34
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Banger Review: Directed by Bertrand de Langeron aka So-Me, this French comedy-action film’s cast includes Vincent Cassel, Laura Felpin, Mister V, Alexis manenti, Nina Zem, Déborah Lukumuena, and others. It is 90 90-minute long movie, and the story centres on Scorpex, a once-hot DJ who is slowly becoming irrelevant. But everything changes when the police enlist his help on a huge drug bust.
Banger Review
From the premise, Netflix’s Banger sounded like a good time, a high-energy flick, the plan somewhere between Mission: Impossible and a hell of a DJ party. But instead, it was a movie that didn’t feel certain of itself. It doesn’t quite succeed as a comedy, or as a spy thriller or a drama, and none of those things are better than mediocre. The story is pretty rudimentary, and though it has its memorable moments, it never really takes off — about a third of the way through, I realised I was on my phone, checking the time, asking myself when it would end.
The entire secret agent thing should have been more exciting, but it came off way too predictable. And the comedy? But it was hit or miss. Some jokes landed, but many felt random, forced or simply weren’t funny and just weird.
If there’s one reason to see this French movie Banger, it’s Vincent Cassel. He provides the role of Scorpex, and let’s be real, this movie would have been worse without him. He has an innate charm that makes even the silliest of scenes at least moderately pleasurable. He juggles being a washed-up DJ, a reluctant undercover agent and a father. Props to Miller who, despite all the cardboard, makes his character at least somewhat believable with the best he can and get.
Also Read: Promised Hearts Review: Predictable Love Story With Unnecessary Subplots
The rest of the cast? They’re okay. No one really leaps off the screen, and I found it hard to connect with any of them. There’s younger DJing in the movie, which is supposed to serve as the “new generation” of music, but their stories don’t add to the plot much. Maybe it would have been interesting if they’d gone into their rivalry with Scorpex more. Instead, it barely scratches the surface.
For a film about a DJ, I assumed it would have a banging track that got me on my feet. Unfortunately, the music is kind of just there. It’s not awful, but it doesn’t exactly sing either. There’s one song during the climax that I actually liked, but otherwise, the soundtrack feels like an afterthought.
The biggest disappointment, however, is how little you really see in the film of the back-and-forth of making music. There’s little to no insight into how DJs craft their beats or mix tracks. There is one cool scene where some siren sound gets converted into a beat, and I thought, great, something creative! But such moments are few and far between. If you like electronic music, you may like some of the tracks, but if you are looking for a deeper dive into the DJ world, you won’t find it here.
One thing I noticed about the Banger movie is that it moves fast and not in a good way. Some scenes stretch on too long, others feel rushed. The film never quite settles into a consistent rhythm (which seems ironic given that it’s about music).
Another issue is that it’s simply not exciting enough. I caught myself looking at my phone a few times, which is never a good sign. If a film is meant to be thrilling, it shouldn’t leave me so uninterested within the first 20 minutes.
One thing I will say, though, do not skip the credits. The sound and visuals there are also quite nice. If only the rest of the movie were as fun as the credits, Banger could have been something special.
Summing Up
Netflix Banger isn’t an awful movie, but it’s nothing special, either. That the film attempts to surprise the audience, though, doesn’t feel earned. Had the buildup been stronger, perhaps the ending would have had more impact. Instead, it seemed as though the film suddenly realised it was supposed to be a spy thriller.
Banger 2025 is now streaming on Netflix.
