A group of five criminals break into a warehouse at night and tie up the two watchmen so they can steal a truck load of laptop computers. Meanwhile the notorious head of an Albanian crime group is being transported to Strasburg on charges including the slavery and forced prostitution of young girls and women. When the security forces transporting him are ambushed and most are killed by members of his Albanian mob, the remaining members make a break for it and hold up in the same warehouse which is the scene of the heist. Surrounded by psychopathic gang members intent on freeing their boss those inside the warehouse must set aside their differences and unite if they are to have any chance at all of surviving the night.

The nest is the second feature film directed by Florent Emilio Siri who has since gone on to direct Bruce Willis in the Hollywood blockbuster Hostage. His first being Une minute de silence (Not a film I have seen) and he has also directed two of the video game series Splinter Cell based on Tom Clancy's characters. Making its French debut in 2002 hype has been slow building for this one, with the Internet playing as it often does a role in getting people to take notice. Thus it finally got its release in English speaking regions. Amongst the films ensemble cast the most recognisable face (To non French audiences anyway) is probably that of Samy Naceri who plays maniac behind the wheel Daniel in the highly successful Taxi series of movies and also stared in overlooked but enjoyable French gangster film La Mentale AKA The Code.

The French seem to have a knack for making these quality action films that match and in many cases surpass their Hollywood counterparts on a fraction of the budget. The Nest is basically an unofficial remake of John Carpenters Assault on Precinct 13 and before anyone starts I know that was a remake of Rio Bravo, but lets face it, Assault is the movie being remade / homaged / re-imagined or what ever the hell the current trendy phrase is for using some one else's ideas in your film. Now I have not seen the official Assault remake so I can’t really pass judgement although most people are of the opinion its crap (You can say crap when you’re just an Internet reviewer and not a paid scribe). Still I doubt the "Official" remake will touch this, as this is tonnes of fun something that seems to be lacking from mainstream Hollywood action films at the moment. The Nest looks great, is well lit, well edited, well shot and well directed. The actors all give top performances that suit this kind of flamboyant gun-play movie and nobody really hogs the limelight meaning this really works as an ensemble piece and not as is the current trend across the ocean as a star vehicle. Not a match in terms of cult grittiness for John Carpenters Assault on precinct 13, but then that was a film very much of it's time and budget, if this had been labelled as a remake it would however have been a worthy one. Different and fresh enough to be a great film in its own right but retaining some (not all) of the key elements that made that film such a classic.

The way the different characters interact is handled well as they try and put aside their differences to pursue the common goal of not being dead. The bonds between the criminals and the main three French security force members are well constructed with quick but well acted scenes highlighting certain friendships, which mean you believe they care about each other as the film progresses. At one point the two main male members of the heist gang hold hands and matching tattoos of north and south can be seen on there hands which a nice touch. The female roles are good here with actresses who while attractive do actually look as if they can kick some ass and so you are not asked to step outside of realty as some skinny bimbo beats down tough male opponents. The warehouse location for what is basically a siege movie is used to its full effect as the Albanians move ever closer the more claustrophobic the space becomes and the more foreboding it seems. The gang members all where light intensifying masks which give them the look of wasps (the film starts with a wasp documentary on TV). This is a great idea making them a faceless enemy that just like wasps attack without fear and in large numbers. The Albanian Boss is suitably played and is a convincing piece of work and in effect becomes the wasps queen which they seek to defend. The fact that the cops look at pictures of the women his organisation held as prostitutes who have numbers branded on their backs like cattle certainly adds to the menace of the main bad guy.

Packed with great scenes, excellent characters, big guns and wave after wave of deadly wasp looking Albanian mobsters to be gunned down The Nest is a great example of quality French action cinema.