Though not quite suicidal, Leo Castañeda (Antonio De La Torre) doesnât appear to care whether he lives or dies. At first, we arenât quite sure why. He doesn't open up much, nor is writer-director Giordano Gederlini in a hurry to enlighten us. But that's a big part of what makes On the Edge such an intriguing thriller, though its original Belgian title, Entre La Vie La Mort (Between Life and Death), more accurately describes both the protagonist and the overall tone.
The story does begin with a suicide, though. Just after Leo begins his shift as a metro subway operator, a young man throws himself in front of the train. The investigator in charge, Virginie (Marine Vacth), later learns the kid was Leoâs estranged son, whom he hadnât seen for a couple of years. Leo doesnât reveal why he didnât inform her right away, but heâs obviously shocked and distraught by the incident. Since we learn his wife also died six years earlier, itâs no wonder that carrying on alone isn't a high priority.
Leoâs indifference to living gives him something of an advantage when heâs threatened by a crew of robbers who committed a deadly heist, which coincidentally, Virginie is in the middle of investigating. It turns out Leoâs son participated in the heist and was shot before driving off with the money. Now the crew wants the cash back and thinks Leo has it. Virginie also suspects Leo knows a lot more about the entire subway incident than heâs willing to say.
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Brussels' scariest DoorDash driver. |
Leo himself is a great character. Despite never saying much, we understand what compels him. And while he doesnât look or act like your typical man of action, heâs very resourceful and calculating. Speaking of which, the action itself is sparse and presented without much embellishment, but itâs generally pretty exciting and mostly believable.
On the Edge is fast paced and stylishly directed, making great use of various Brussels locations (mostly at night). Tension-filled almost from the get-go, this neo-noir thriller methodically sucksâthe viewer in with its revenge-themed story, engaging lead characters and excellent performances (De La Torre, in particular). It's an under-the-radar gem not to be missed.
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