The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch (2008)

47% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
50% of users liked it
(3,285 ratings)

When billionaire Nerio Winch (Miki Manojlovic) is murdered, the focus shifts to his reluctant heir, Largo (Tomer Sisley), to take over the reins of his late father's major international corporation. But first he must overcome the onslaught of drug traffickers, assassins, militia fighters and… More When billionaire Nerio Winch (Miki Manojlovic) is murdered, the focus shifts to his reluctant heir, Largo (Tomer Sisley), to take over the reins of his late father's major international corporation. But first he must overcome the onslaught of drug traffickers, assassins, militia fighters and double-dealing corporate-political traders to fulfill his destiny at the head of the table in this fast-paced Euro action-adventure thriller. -- (C) Music Box Films

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 49 min.
Directed By: Jérôme Salle
Written By: Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Nov 18, 2011 Limited
Studio: Music Box Films

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Fortunately for the company, Largo turns out to be a formidable knife fighter in the corporate sense; fortunately for this sleek, empty thriller, he turns out to be a formidable knife fighter in the street sense too.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Do you sometimes get the feeling that you haven't seen a film before, but you might as well have? All of the ingredients are basic.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
It won't make anyone forget Bond, of course. But it will do for now.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
The generic plot is redeemed by exciting action sequences, good-looking location photography and a hot sex scene involving a femme fatale named Lea.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
There are plenty of twists and just as many bad guys speaking in a wide variety of accents. It's handsome, large-scale escapist fare - and has as its costar the formidable, versatile Kristin Scott Thomas.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
It stars Kristin Scott Thomas, in one of those French roles she usually excels at. But the movie is a mess.
David Noh, Film Journal International
There's so much plot and so many locations in this international finance-steeped thriller that it's one very exhausting but ultimately satisfying rollercoaster.
Brian Tallerico, HollywoodChicago.com
Far from a complete disaster, but forgettable in nearly every way.
S. James Wegg, JWR
It's a film that flies through its frantic pace with the greatest of ease, delivering a couple of real surprises along with set pieces that pay sincere homage to Ian Fleming's James Bond books
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
An exhilarating, thrilling and thoroughly suspenseful action thriller.
Nick Schager, Time Out New York
Heavy on tedious convolutions and depressingly light on character depth, suspense or political-economic intrigue.
Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine
There's little room for the viewer to get his or her footing, particularly when the assumed point of identification is the relative nonentity of a hero.
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
German star Tomer Sisley brings a winning level of charm to Largo, rising to the physicality of the role and injecting humour, but never letting it slip into pastiche.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Brian D

Intresting movie,some fine locations used and a so so story to boot.The movie is let down by the lack of any really good action set pieces as its trying to be a sort of james bond wanna be. But part from that its a decent watch with some decent acting.
Walter M

In "Largo Winch," billionaire industrialist Nerio Winch(Miki Manojlovic) is brutally murderered at his yacht in Hong Kong. Trying to head off a hostile takeover by the nefarious Mikhail Korsky(Karel Roden), Ann Ferguson(Kristin Scott Thomas) takes charge as acting CEO and… More
In "Largo Winch," billionaire industrialist Nerio Winch(Miki Manojlovic) is brutally murderered at his yacht in Hong Kong. Trying to head off a hostile takeover by the nefarious Mikhail Korsky(Karel Roden), Ann Ferguson(Kristin Scott Thomas) takes charge as acting CEO and informs the board of directors that their old boss had secretly adopted a son, Largo(Tomer Sisley), some years before. At that moment, he is in Brazil getting an invincibility tattoo when he rescues Lea(Melanie Thierry), an aid worker in distress, who turns around and frames him on a drug charge. "Largo Winch" is a delightfully daft action movie with a charismatic lead and crisp dialogue that spans four continents and languages, making great use of those locations, and is set in the world of high finance. Beneath the veneer of great wealth, the movie has quite a lot to say about identity. When Nerio asks his son who does he think he is, it is not really a rhetorical question.(And while at first Nerio chooses Largo because he is so spirited, I think it is just as likely that the infant is trying to make a break for it, already having a bad feeling about what is to happen.) And just to prove that this is not all a purely intellectual exercise, there are car chases, fights, shocks, a foot chase, and hot sweaty sex. So, enjoy.