What It's About:

The notorious life of international terrorist and mercenary Carlos “The Jackal” (Ramirez) gets an epic three-part film treatment, featuring dozens of characters, languages and international locations. Beginning when he was little more than a dangerous thug from Venezuela with Marxist leanings (Part I), and ending with his nomadic exile and eventual arrest by the French authorities (Part III), “Carlos” tracks the saga of a daring, charismatic and highly controversial figure. The film’s second section features a virtually minute-to-minute recreation of Carlos’ infamous hostage taking at an OPEC conference in 1975, which caught the attention of the entire world and made him an international celebrity.

Why I Love It:

Director Olivier Assayas’s colorful and ambitious saga manages to capture all the complexities of 1970s geopolitics and still deliver a wildly entertaining and suspenseful ride. Even with a run time of five hours, this is one breathless, energetically paced outing, with plenty of action and suspense throughout, and all set to a killer period soundtrack. Edgar Ramirez’s star-turn as Carlos is as bold and compelling as the film itself. A fascinating, vital piece of visual history and a gripping thriller all in one, “Carlos” fully merits your time and attention.