Featured Audience Ratings

• Anthony L

  
  If a story is worth telling it is worth telling properly, especially when said story is factual. Olivier Assayas's Carlos the Jackal epic is perfect to the slightest little detail. Edgar Ramirez is perfectly cast as Ilich Ramírez Sánchez and gives the role his all. Indeed, the… More
  If a story is worth telling it is worth telling properly, especially when said story is factual. Olivier Assayas's Carlos the Jackal epic is perfect to the slightest little detail. Edgar Ramirez is perfectly cast as Ilich Ramírez Sánchez and gives the role his all. Indeed, the passion to tell the story correctly seems to be a shared passion for everyone involved and the film and it's makers deserve the success and praise they received. At 5 and a half hours, Carlos the Jackal isn't the shortest of films but my eyes were firmly fixed to the screen for every second.

• Michael S

  
  I'm rating the complete miniseries. After viewing it,I have no desire to watch the condensed version. At five and a half hours, Olivier Assayas' "Carlos" doesn't steal a minute of it's audience's time. It's a stunning (reportedly fictionalized)… More
  I'm rating the complete miniseries. After viewing it,I have no desire to watch the condensed version. At five and a half hours, Olivier Assayas' "Carlos" doesn't steal a minute of it's audience's time. It's a stunning (reportedly fictionalized) portrait of the infamous terrorist Carlos the Jackyl, a man who's revolutionary ambitions are only matched by his lust for women and ego. Carlos is played by Edgar Ramirez (Domino, Zero Dark Thrity) who gives one of cinema's (and television's) finest recent performances. He deftly portrays a charming monster, a man who exploits the tribulations of others and foreign political strife to quench his own thirst for power. We never really like Carlos, but the film does a great job of making us understand him... rendering his journey through a world of violence, greed,and betrayal an utterly absorbing one. Assayas makes a film far removed from the warmth and grace of his 2009 "Summer Hours," but his exquisite characterization remains. He masterfully handles forcefully scenes of gritty action and violence as well as the potentially overwhelming flow of historical fact and figures. The single greatest strength of Carlos is how accessible if feels. A lot of information assaults the audience yet it all feels manageable and fluid. The scope is daunting but Assayas keeps it grounded enough to grasp. "Carlos" is a standout character study; a true modern epic that needs to be seen in any form. Undoubtedly though the miniseries is the way to go. Assayas' assured direction and the incendiary performance of Ramirez can't be ignored. It's brilliant.

• Reid V

  
  Good heavens are my eyes exhausted. I have been working up the courage to face this behemoth six-hour movie for sometime and while I am thankful I actually took on the beast, my skull feels like it has just been squeezed in a vice. At its best, it is a meticulous look at career… More
  Good heavens are my eyes exhausted. I have been working up the courage to face this behemoth six-hour movie for sometime and while I am thankful I actually took on the beast, my skull feels like it has just been squeezed in a vice. At its best, it is a meticulous look at career terrorism. The highs and the lows, the bombs and the blows, and every blue print in between. It is a fascinating look at the life of an extreme ideologue as he ditches every tail and cleans up the messes made by his partners. Every new hurdle slowly eats away at his overall goal of a global revolution, draining his energy and the audience's as well. Yet, while his moxie may be gradually diminishing, he never once appears to want to call it a day. Carlos is uncommonly obdurate and clings stubbornly to the belief that the world needs him. When in reality - in an observation made by a fellow Syrian terrorist - it is evident that Carlos needs these terrorist acts in order to give his life meaning. So even though many of his plans crumble, he quickly leap frogs to the next project. Knowing deep down that were he to stop, he would just be a senseless murderer. Not that he was without backing. In fact, he was courted by many regimes, but clearly his ego was writing checks that he could not feasibly cash. In meticulous and often exhaustive detail, Carlos and his gang are shown planning an attack on an OPEC conference and executing, pardon the pun, an attempted assassination plot on Anwar Sadat. Although six hours of these scenes can be laborious to sit through, its extensive length actually works in the favor of the narrative. After watching Carlos' extensive exploits for many hours, it helps the audience better understand his future actions. Primarily, it helps illuminate why Carlos begins to grow restless. The OPEC conference aside, Carlos must deal with botched job after botched job. He becomes more desperate with every passing year and his inability to start a global revolution breeds discontentment. Subsequently, his actions becomes more brazen. His idealism begins to give way to egoism and becomes a hazy concoction of ideology driven hubris. Edgar Ramirez is superb as the amoral man of conviction. There is a quiet intensity to him that makes it very difficult to take your eyes off of. It could have been so easy to play Carlos as an over the top megalomaniacal criminal mastermind, but he abstains from doing so. Thankfully Ramirez forgoes the headlines and gives us the fine print. I hope this role opens up more doors for this talented actor. Carlos is quite a journey and not one that I will probably take again this decade. However, it is a unique and well-acted film about what it truly means to live and die for a cause. No matter how futile it can seem at times.

• Emil K

  
  I simply went into this film with no expectations at all and when it was over i was kinda shocked about the fact that i had seen one of the most powerful thrillers ever made. What director/writer Olivier Assayas has created here is a politically charged biopic that dives without fear… More
  I simply went into this film with no expectations at all and when it was over i was kinda shocked about the fact that i had seen one of the most powerful thrillers ever made. What director/writer Olivier Assayas has created here is a politically charged biopic that dives without fear into the mind and life of one of the most ruthless terrorists ever known. Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, Carlos the Jackal, is extremely interesting as a character and a person. Edgar Ramirez does a magnificinect work as Carlos and delivers one of the most assured performance ever captured on a film. There are so many things to praise here that i will not even try to make them all fit in this review. First of all i have to share my admiration towards director Assayas who has put so much information and details to his screenplay, which he co-wrote with Dan Franck. There are huge amount of characters and still none of them feel indifferent or useless in this complex and emotionally rich film. Carlos begins from the early 70's and end ends to year 94. So Carlos and it's screenplay span over three decades and within many different countries. Still, like an magician, Assayas succeeds in keeping the pace and tension high without losing it's focus. Pulling off something like that is near miracle in the terms of filmmaking itself. While Carlos is a film that, like it's title character, is constantly in move there are still few certain opertarions and moments where Assayas has gone even into a greater detail to portrait the situation as authentict as possible. Most powerful moment and by far the most important operation of the whole film is the suspenseful and fantastically orchestrated terrorist attack to the OPEC headquarters. With this set piece Assayas has put to shame films like Steven Spielberg's Munich or ar Tomas Alfredson's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which both are considired as a masterpieces as a political thrillers by many critics but are in my opinion greatly overrated weak films. Assayas avoids all the unncecessary melodrama or visual trickery and the result is one of the most chilling and ruthless portraits of a sociopath ever seen in any film. This is one of those films which will leave an long lasting impression on it's viewer. It is amazing to see something this authentic. Carlos is like an documentary of it's subject. A film which is good example of a perfect illusion. Everything from production design, music, and locations to actors are put together with greatest skill possible. Carlos is an monumental achievement as a film.

• Tsubaki S

  
  A "revolutionary" without a huge ego is not a real revolutionary.

• Cynthia S

  
  First of all, this is very well done, and I did like it...but this is a VERY detailed biopic. The first 2 parts of this mini-series is first-rate, exciting material. Edgar Ramirez does an excellent, and fearless job, capturing the many contradictions of Carlos (aka The Jackal). But… More
  First of all, this is very well done, and I did like it...but this is a VERY detailed biopic. The first 2 parts of this mini-series is first-rate, exciting material. Edgar Ramirez does an excellent, and fearless job, capturing the many contradictions of Carlos (aka The Jackal). But the final part of the series eventually gets bogged down in repetitive scenes of Carlos behaving like a pig towards women, living on the lam, and venting his frustration. I also found some of the assasinations, and double-crosses, in this section confusing - not 100% sure who was doing what to whom, or why. By the end, it's clear the toll that Carlos life has taken on him and the people around him, but I was definitely ready for them to wrap it up....

• Jeff "

  
  Carlos The Jackal was one of the most famed terrorists the world has ever known. Director Oliver Assayas film or mini series, depending on your opinion of it is is an electrifying portrait of of one of the worlds most dangerous and enigmatic terrorists. Illich Ramrez Sanchez aka… More
  Carlos The Jackal was one of the most famed terrorists the world has ever known. Director Oliver Assayas film or mini series, depending on your opinion of it is is an electrifying portrait of of one of the worlds most dangerous and enigmatic terrorists. Illich Ramrez Sanchez aka Carlos The Jackal.Edgar Ramrez is phenomenal as Carlos and he delivers the performance of his career. Carlos is a well executed mini series that also plays out like a film. The cast aside Ramrez is terrific as well. For thoise interested in the exploits of this elusive terrorist, Carlos is a must see film. The film or mini series is a near flawless portrait of this intriguing figure. The defining moment in the film that stands out was the 1975 OPEC hostage crisis in Vienna which gained Carlos The Jackal the notoriety he is known for. The film is a mix of drama and thriller. Director Assayas has crafted an excellent film that examines this elusive terrorist and the story is engaging and keeps the viewer involved. There are two versions of this flm, one is the 3 hour film, and the other is the 5 and a half hour mini series. I preferred the 5 hour version because it had a lot more detail to the story of Carlos The Jackal. Like I said Edgar Ramrez is excellent here and he really brings something special to the screen. It's hard to picture someone else in the role of Calos The Jackal. This is a must see film, and depending on the version you choose, you'll get a much broader portrait if you watch the 5+ version. Either way, both versions are good. A memorable and worthy addition to the lists of films dealing with terrorism.

• Carlos M

  
  Edgar Ramirez is outstanding in this riveting political biopic that explores the ambiguous nature of the revolutionary terrorist Carlos the Jackal, a man fervently devoted to a cause but also an egomaniacal mercenary wanting to hold power over those around him. Even more fascinating… More
  Edgar Ramirez is outstanding in this riveting political biopic that explores the ambiguous nature of the revolutionary terrorist Carlos the Jackal, a man fervently devoted to a cause but also an egomaniacal mercenary wanting to hold power over those around him. Even more fascinating is seeing how the character struggles to adapt to the many changes that keep occurring in the world along twenty years. A remarkable film, but make sure you watch the full 330-minute version, not the condensed one.

• Pedro H

  
  <i> The man who hijacked the world.</i> A little <b>puzzling</b> but rather intresting, and personally this movie was big to me The story is rather puzzling and confusing as it tells the story of how Carlos, became the worlds most wanted terrorist. personaly… More
  <i> The man who hijacked the world.</i> A little <b>puzzling</b> but rather intresting, and personally this movie was big to me The story is rather puzzling and confusing as it tells the story of how Carlos, became the worlds most wanted terrorist. personaly its rather a long movie, and Oliver Assayas takes a edgey risk into making this movie succesfull but in the end it works out <b> This movie had a big personal effect on me, because i sat down with Edgar Ramirez and we talked for a long time, he gave me hints and tips on becoming a succesful actor, and i really am considering using his hints because his work turned out amazing.</b> It was an honor to meet him, a friendly person, and an amazing actor as we can see in this movie. Either then that a very confussing yet intresting movie behind the PLO and serves as an auto-fictional-biography of the worlds most famous terrorist. If you are intrested in these type of movies, take the risk, you will enjoy it. <u>Carlos</u> : <i> Didnt they teach you this in Venezuela </i>

• Stella D

  
  i watched the 5 hour version and i thought it was terrific but alot probably depends on your level of interest in the subject matter. things slow down in the 3rd act as carlos spends many years in hiding. still fascinating stuff with a powerhouse performance from edgar ramirez as… More
  i watched the 5 hour version and i thought it was terrific but alot probably depends on your level of interest in the subject matter. things slow down in the 3rd act as carlos spends many years in hiding. still fascinating stuff with a powerhouse performance from edgar ramirez as the womanizing egomaniacal international terrorist for hire called carlos the jackal

• Alireza M

  
  If i was supposed to rate the directing, i would rate it higher than 4.But the movie itself isnt good in my opinion.its too straight forward,rhythm is too fast and bunch of killings and bloody scenes isnt enough.The main problem is that Carlos has been made for tv and as a movie its… More
  If i was supposed to rate the directing, i would rate it higher than 4.But the movie itself isnt good in my opinion.its too straight forward,rhythm is too fast and bunch of killings and bloody scenes isnt enough.The main problem is that Carlos has been made for tv and as a movie its too long and boring.

• Gordon A

  
  Ramirez is magnetic in the lead but even the 'short' 2hr 30min version dragged for me after the intense OPEC hijacking. If nothing else the second half illustrates the shocking fluidity of international relations as Carlos is shuttled from pillar to post.

• Walter M

  
  Ilich Ramirez Sanchez(Edgar Ramirez), self-professed revolutionary Marxist, is looking for his very own revolution that does not involve dying in a hellhole in South America and chooses the liberation of Palestine in 1973. Since Israel is busy killing everybody involved with the… More
  Ilich Ramirez Sanchez(Edgar Ramirez), self-professed revolutionary Marxist, is looking for his very own revolution that does not involve dying in a hellhole in South America and chooses the liberation of Palestine in 1973. Since Israel is busy killing everybody involved with the Munich terrorist attack, Wadie Haddad(Ahmad Kaabour) of the FPLP has openings as Sanchez chooses the nom du guerre Carlos. However, things do not always go smoothly as a courier is arrested at the airport with fake passports and bad poetry. So, the Japanese Red Army goes into action by taking the French ambassador hostage to ensure his release but negotiations break down on the subject of a chemical toilet. "Carlos" is an epic speculation and portrait of a terrorist as a preening narcissist that spans countries, and languages, both too numberous to recount. Surprisingly for his inconsistent track record, Olivier Assayas holds it all together in a movie that is compelling throughout, despite its sequential structure. As one character calling him a mercenary might not be exactly fair, as Carlos has some idealism, it is true that he might be in it also for the women and guns. While initially talking about victory, it turns out his legacy will involve nothing more than a long string of bodies. He is only one of any amount of militants who are so enamored of their causes that they have their heads so far up their collective asses that they miss the little details(of which the movie is rather fond of) that lead to ruin or how the world is really run. In a way the movie makes a case for the existence of state sponsored terrorism in that certain countries have a symbiotic relationship with the terrorists living within their borders. And since they are usually police states, they have a pretty good idea of what everybody is up to. At the same time, some people will not be thrilled to learn Yasser Arafat was not the root of all evil.

• Caesar M

  
  Carlos is not only a lengthy movie (or a 3 part miniseries if you seen it on television) it`s one of finest character driven movie i've ever seen. With a great execution and a outstanding performance from Edgar Ramirez of the title character and real life terrorists. Carlos… More
  Carlos is not only a lengthy movie (or a 3 part miniseries if you seen it on television) it`s one of finest character driven movie i've ever seen. With a great execution and a outstanding performance from Edgar Ramirez of the title character and real life terrorists. Carlos accomplished the impossible and made a 3+ hour movie entertaining from beginning to end. Carlos has a lot of story that a simple summary can`t give you a broad idea of the movie. Part one focuses on Carlos who's involved with a series of terrorist attacks in London and then Paris. I enjoyed the first half as it details Ilich Ramirez Sanchez who adapts the name of Carlos and is portrayed by the excellent Edgar Ramirez. We get to see Carlos early successes and failures, how he carefully assemble a team and plans the terrorist attacks, and we get to learn about Carlos himself by his action and through intelligent dialogue. Carlos is a very dynamic character who gets better as the movie goes on and makes this political epic a blast no matter what your views on politics are. Speaking of dialogue, the characters do speak in different languages throughout the whole movie which will bother some viewers. It also contains most of the violence in this miniseries. It doesn't take away anything from the quality of the movie as it`s still keeps your interest no matter what. Part one is a great start to this lengthy feature and continues to get better. Part two of Carlos mostly details one of the most the most infamous of terrorist attack in 1975. Carlos who took control OPEC headquarters and took several of it ministers as well as delegates. He then attempt to take them to a certain location by plane with the intentions to gained what he's fighting for, but fails due to several difficulties and continues his work despite this massive failure. This part of the movie was the best in terms of dialogue and cinematography. Every scene is shot so nicely that you'll lose yourself in the movie universe. The performances are remarkable and adds a whole new level of realism to the experience. At this point the movie has thrown many characters and plots line at you that it`s easy to lose track. Thanks to Olivier Assayas direction I found it effective how he brings in a new plotline without making the already complex plot lost to the audience. The third and final part of Carlos was the weakest. It mainly focuses on his decline as a terrorist and the effects it has on his life. The final part is not as well done as Carlos does a lot the same throughout this part, like constantly complaining to his wife. As disappointing at it was, I felt that it was the most important and dynamic to the character. We see him struggling and declining in size of his operation. On its own it`s easily the weakest of the three entry, but as whole it brings a solid and satisfying conclusion to the movie. It has a lot beautiful location and everything is just thrilling about this masterpiece. As for accuracy I can't say much about it other than the real life Carlos disliked this movie and wanted it banned from theaters. He did so unsuccessfully in court, while these attacks can be seen differently by your political agenda and how feel about the terrorist himself. There is no denying how good it is we have this monster (in my opinion at least) locked away. Carlos is a very lengthy, detailed masterpiece driven by a character and handle with care and a dedicated direction. It`s 3+ hour length might too much for some, but those who are wanting a deep, complex, and fascinating experience will find it here no matter what you think the real life figure.

• Glenn G

  
  It's quite a commitment to watch all 5 hours and 19 minutes of CARLOS, but I'm really glad I did. Here is a pretty staggering accomplishment, tracing two decades in the life of the infamous terrorist, the "Jackal". Director Olivier Assayas and Writer Dan Franck… More
  It's quite a commitment to watch all 5 hours and 19 minutes of CARLOS, but I'm really glad I did. Here is a pretty staggering accomplishment, tracing two decades in the life of the infamous terrorist, the "Jackal". Director Olivier Assayas and Writer Dan Franck don't seem interested in telling a story filled with grand emotions, but instead take a very cool, slightly French New Wave approach to their story. Lots of jump-cutting, quick short scenes, and cutaways from those "big dramatic moments" add up to an incredibly brisk experience. Edgar Ramirez gives one of those unforgettable performances right up there with Pacino in THE GODFATHER or DeNiro in TAXI DRIVER, and it feels like he's done it without breaking a sweat. It's a cool performance steeped in narcissism so deep, I felt like I was watching a West Hollywood gay making love to a mirror for hours on end. In fact, one early scene pretty much shows us that. It's a starmaking performance, and I'm thrilled that cinema has such a worthy replacement for some of the great stars. The key to this is that most of this film is set in the 70s and 80s, when terrorism really started to take hold, but when airports still had such dangerous security flaws as outdoor viewing decks. By putting Ramirez in such a beautifully rendered period piece, he emerges as an instant, iconic, great star. It almost feels like he's been a star for decades when you watch him here. Much of the film is told in a clinical fashion. No hand-holding here. You have to keep up and read a lot of subtitles (some of them poorly rendered)...and the film is in so many languages (English, Spanish, French, German, and more) that staying focused can be exhausting. It's worth it though. Some of the big set pieces blew me away, such as the raid on OPEC leaders and the subsequent hijacking of a DC-9. They are directed with such precision, it reminded me of DOG DAY AFTERNOON with its attention to detail and realism. Think Sidney Lumet meets Godard for the type of film that is CARLOS. These are not your perfect terrorists out of a comic book movie, but instead they forget shit like parking lot tickets, how to properly aim a rocket launcher, how to calculate the distance a plane can fly, or sometimes their guns jam. One cohort of Carlos', a scary female revolutionary is so dangerous, yet she loses her cool so wonderfully, and provides an astute counterpoint to Carlos' supposed dedication to the pro-Palestinian cause. It becomes clear in this important scene that Carlos is more of an opportunist and that the biggest revolution he fights is his own ego and ensuing "fame". Due to its length and aesthetic, CARLOS is not for everybody. It can become tiring trying to keep up, and the last third (his downfall) is as wearying as it must have been for Carlos himself. When he becomes a man without a country, without anyone who loves him anymore, you just want it to stop. Ramirez's physical transformation reminded me of DeNiro in RAGING BULL, and it's equally astonishing to see him go from physically perfect to extremely bloated. By this point in the film, he seems drunk with power and lost in his beliefs. There are several nods to the great films of the 70s, including THE GODFATHER, when Carlos is chasing after a child in a garden. The music in this film is a wild mix of different cultures, including some great 80s music like THE LIGHTNING SEEDS and THE CURE. It all added up to a completely immersive, thrilling film experience.

• Cameron J

  
  Wow, I had no idea just how dangerous Carlos Santana was in his spare time. Oh sorry, this is some other Carlos, it's just that after Santana worked with Steven Tyler for that mediocre 2005 song "Just Feel Better" (Man, not even the good classic musicians make good… More
  Wow, I had no idea just how dangerous Carlos Santana was in his spare time. Oh sorry, this is some other Carlos, it's just that after Santana worked with Steven Tyler for that mediocre 2005 song "Just Feel Better" (Man, not even the good classic musicians make good music anymore, but at least Santana can still rock that guitar), I can't help but associate him with a jackal. Yeah, I'm thinking that the nickname "Jackal" is better suited for Steven Tyler, considering that he looks like a jackal, though when it comes to being honored as a master of artillery, I've got to give it up to my man Ilich Ramirez Sánchez (Where did he come up Carlos?) here, because even his biopic just about made my head explode, not just simply because it's a five-and-a-half-hour-long miniseries, but because it has way too many nationalities and languages bunched together for my mind to handle for the aforementioned five-and-a-half hours. It's a French-German series about a Venezuelan with speaking moments of English, French, Spanish, Hungarian, Italian (Oh wait, I already said Spanish), Arabic, German, Russian, Dutch and Japanese. If Steven Tyler really were to walk into frame and start doing his crazy scat/throat-click hybrid language, which is hard enough to keep up with when it's on its own, my head actually would have exploded. It just about blew the critics' minds, because they were eating it up, and I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to pull back on that. Hey, don't get me wrong, this is still quite the good miniseries, as well it should be if it's going to keep me stuck with it for five-and-a-half hours, yet the saga doesn't make it out without some battle scars. I don't know how much things smoothed out in the considerably tighter just three-hour-long German film cut, the little over two-and-a-half-hour-long UK film cut or the little under two-and-a-half-hour-long US film cut, but at five-and-a-half hours, the miniseries is no short ride (The fact that they shaved off over three hours for the US film cut should tell you what you're in for), especially when you consider that the subject matter, while fairly complex, doesn't quite warrant such a sprawling runtime, and it's not about to let you forget that. The series goes excessively bloated through repetition and superfluous aspects, a fair couple of which don't completely sync up, in terms of relevance to the main story, leaving the series uneven on occasions. The gratuitously overwhelming runtime is obtained through everything going on way too long, particularly during the final act - which then has the nerve to end this series on a cop-out -, until after a while, steam goes limp until something actually happens, and believe me, that's no brief waiting period, partially because this series doesn't have much immediate steam to begin with. Outside of the occasional weak visual effect, due to those blasted budget limitations, the series really is like a film, complete with cliches and other collapses into conventions found in films of this type, as well as the committing of a great sin that far too many films of this type commit and no miniseries of this length should commit. Ladies and gentlemen, the central problem with the series is simply that it is just plain dull, if not all-out boring for long lapses of time during its five-and-a-half hours, being pin-drop quiet, with baby tooth-loose editing that leave nothing but nothingness to spill in at will, making for an experience that isn't quite tedious, though somewhat challenging, as you will not make it far through the first episode, alone, before you start checking your watch. Still, more of a challenge is giving up on the final product, all together, because although it's quite considerably flawed, it is not without redemption. For every false move, there is a regaining of footing that ultimately leaves the series standing strong and with many a high point, some of which involving aspects that are scarce, but impacting upon arrival. Being that the series is so quiet, the soundtrack ever so rarely comes into play, yet when it does, it's nifty in its sounds and its affect on the tone, for most all of the tracks, with the exception of The Feelies' really bad "Forces at Work", The Dead Boys' following and unbearable "Sonic Reducer" and Wire's really obnoxious "Drill" (You're bound to get sick of Wire eventually, though I figured it would take the first song on the tracklist, not the third out of four; Wow, whoever put together the soundtrack sure likes Wire), this soundtrack has some nifty tunes, many of which really liven up the tone for the slim amount of time they're present, something that can be said about the handsome and, at times, affecting cinematography. Still, perhaps the reason why they don't play the soundtrack too often is because, on occasions, this thing doesn't need music to establish tone, even though I still kind of wish that they did, because, seriously, when there are no tunes, more often than not, things slow nearly to a crawl. However, when things get real, intrigue hits the scene, making all of the excessiveness and quietness within the more tense moments not simply hardly noticable, but actually supplementary to the tension, leaving the series to meditate upon the atmosphere and consequence to where you soon find yourself on the edge of your seat, only to soon be knocked clean out of it when the bullets begin to fly, especially when you consider how well director Olivier Assayas works with some of the action. The good deal of moments of airtight tension and intrigue are worth waiting for, yet between those are immensely more prevalent moments of slowness, and even then, when they cut out the nothingness and explore substance and exposition to a certain degree, it's hard to fall out of the series, as the story is just so fascinating, if not engrossing in some spots, being really brought to life by Assayas' intrigue, as well as the inspired and memorable performances. Every person has a role, and their significance is made palpable through the very distinctive and very effective atmospheres that loom over our performers, with leading man Édgar Ramírez boasting the strongest presence of all. Ramirez is surprisingly rarely asked to break from a confident and authoritative presence, yet it's hard to mind, as he plays it with such strong charisma and borderline transformativeness that really grips you, which of course makes it all the more satisfying when Ramirez really is given the opportunity to into the depths of Ilich Ramírez "Carlos the Jackal" Sánchez and does so with compelling layers, as well as effortless and sometimes emotional confidence that really cuts into the humanity of our very rocky protagonist. Yes, the saga is just much too long and slow, yet where it could have collapsed as a bore, it redeems itself by making many a right move for every false move, and while that's certainly not enough to bring it up to the level of quality promised by the critics, it's certainly enough to make this a rewarding watch, overlong though, it may be. Overall, at least as a miniseries, the saga is bloated to no end by excessive repetition and expendable material, as well as long periods of nothingness, yet this gratutious elongation is merely an exacerbator of the series' core problem, extreme slowness, which leaves the series to lose steam is quite a few spots, as you simply can not afford to be all but entirely slow for five-and-a-half hours, unless, of course, you can redeem yourself with many strong moves, something that this series is filled with, boasting the occasional use of a lively soundtrack and moments of chilling tension to break up consistent intrigue that is absorbed from the compelling story by Olivier Assayas' inspired direction and a talented cast, headed by an engrossing Édgar Ramírez, thus leaving "Carlos" to stand as a mostly engaging and ultimately satisfying study on the notorious terrorist. 3/5 - Good

• John B

  
  Five and a half hours fly by in a flash. This is captivating stuff and well worth committing a day to reviewing. Ramirez is fabulous as Carlos.

• Danny R

  
  Director Olivier Assayas's brilliant and extraordinary five and half hour biopic on the infamous 1970s terrorist "Carlos the Jackal," is a gripping cinematic experience, Carlos was born Ilich Ramirez Sanchez in 1949 in Venezuela, character actor Edgar Ramirez delivers a… More
  Director Olivier Assayas's brilliant and extraordinary five and half hour biopic on the infamous 1970s terrorist "Carlos the Jackal," is a gripping cinematic experience, Carlos was born Ilich Ramirez Sanchez in 1949 in Venezuela, character actor Edgar Ramirez delivers a staggeringly complex, star-making performance in four languages as "Carlos," capturing his misplaced charisma that made him a media superstar and the most wanted and feared terrorist in the world, he was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine during Black September, clad in his revolutionary uniform of the day, sunglasses, beret, and black leather jacket, he stormed the 1975 OPEC conference in Vienna in a raid that was commissioned by Saddam Hussein. He hijacked a jet with his cohorts and kidnapped several oil ministers, murdered two French agents and a alleged informer, the list on his crimes goes on and on, Carlos was also a notorious womanizer who seduced females and discarded them when they were no longer of use to him, Carlos lived with several identities under various pseudonyms until his capture. Since 1997 Carlos has been in a Parisian prison serving life for murder, this film is an epic achievement thanks to Assayas's expert direction and his incredible eye for period detail, and of course Ramirez's mesmerizing lead performance, a must-see film. Note: there are two versions of this film, the complete 330-minute cut and the shorter 165- theatrical cut. In English, Spanish and Arabic, with subtitles. Highly Recommended.

• Jonny C

  
  I actually watched the 3 part TV version of the this not the condensed cinema release. It tells the story of Terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, and the rise and fall of his career. Edgar Ramirez gave an extraordinary performance as Carlos, and the… More
  I actually watched the 3 part TV version of the this not the condensed cinema release. It tells the story of Terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, better known as Carlos the Jackal, and the rise and fall of his career. Edgar Ramirez gave an extraordinary performance as Carlos, and the direction was always enthralling and the story never cut corners. The authenticity of the sets added to the whole experience with the attention to detail being second to none. Overall. Well worth your consideration.

• cody f

  
  Beautifully shot and well acted mini series on Carlos The Jackal and terrorism in the 70's. Their are two versions of this film,the 2.5 hour and 5 hour versions. DO NOT WATCH THE 2 HOUR VERSION! It is a waste of time and will leave you empty. I loved the way this film looks,very… More
  Beautifully shot and well acted mini series on Carlos The Jackal and terrorism in the 70's. Their are two versions of this film,the 2.5 hour and 5 hour versions. DO NOT WATCH THE 2 HOUR VERSION! It is a waste of time and will leave you empty. I loved the way this film looks,very authentic and defiantly has a 70's feel to the cinematography. Edgar Ramirez is amazing as Carlos, and I look forward to his future work. *Plot Spoilers*The first part of the film is about Carlo's rise in the 70's from protester to extreme and feared terrorist. The second half Carlos becomes a dying breed in the cause dying 80's as all of his compatriots either die,go to jail or just settle. I watched this film over three weekends (1 part per weekend) and I believe that was a mistake. Their are too many characters and the plot moves very fast and you can get confused if you watch it in long intervals. I thought the series ended with a whimper,but overall I liked the aggressive effort and I really think it could have been longer. Very enjoyable and again Edger Ramirez gives one of the best performances of 2010.

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