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OSS 117 Lost in Rio review
:. Director: Michel Hazanavicius
:. Starring: Jean Dujardin, Louise Monot
:. Running Time: 1:40
:. Year: 2008
:. Country: France
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The second entry in the OSS 117 comedy series, OSS 117 Lost in Rio jumps from 50's Cairo to 60's Rio to give us another biting satire, this time taking on the peace and love movement as well a country that used to be a Nazi haven. But most importantly, Jean Dujardin is back as the self-assured racist and macho spy, providing a good chunk of the laughs with his awkward charisma.
Contrary to other movie genres, comedies are much more difficult to assess objectively as they appeal to an emotional rather than logical level. That said, I must admit being a sucker for OSS 117's mix of exotic adventures and political incorrectness. In this new episode, most of the jokes are at the expenses of women, Chinese and Jewish people, which I'm sure won't be to everyone's taste, even though what we are actually laughing about is actually the racial and sexist ignorance of the main character and makes for hilarious embarrassing moments. Obviously not all will find these jokes funny and there's no argument on the contrary given taste in humor.
Following the box office and critical success of OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies, the filmmakers have beefed up OSS 117 Lost in Rio, putting in more in line with the type of big budget entertainment piece that it spoofs. The film includes more adventure, action, exoticism, women and spectacle without sacrificing its soul or humor which, contrary to the usual cinema-universal-law, makes it a sequel as worthwhile and effective as the original.
While OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies was mainly aimed at that French touch old-fashioned spy that OSS was back in the 50's, this time OSS 117 Lost in Rio targets everyone's favorite spy, James Bond-circa-Sean Connery-and-Roger Moore. The filmmakers make a few direct references to a couple early Bond movies, which are welcome, even if Mr. Fleming's character was obviously the ghost in the background of the two films.
While the ideological satire is still present, just switching targets, and the jokes still verge between incisiveness and simple gags, what OSS is loses here is the originality that made its debut such a breakthrough. But just like the Flint series — starring James Coburn — which also spoofed the Bond myth, OSS certainly can't be judged for embracing the serial format of the very films it satirizes. Just like Bond, as long as the films successfully deliver on their promises, they can keep going.
Fred Thom
 OSS 117 review
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