Part two of the hit drama Lupin, starring Omar Sy is finally here. Earlier this year, part one introduced us to Omar’s role as Assane Diop. The charismatic gentleman thief, out for justice against a man of wealth, responsible for the death of his father. If you haven’t seen Part one before reading this review, here is your warning. There will be mild spoilers ahead.
When Lupin last left off, Assane had taken a trip to a festival celebrating the fictional thief Arsene Lupin. Along with his son Raoul (Etan Simon) and ex-wife Claire (Ludivine Sagnier). While there, a man kidnaps Raoul. A man who is working for Assane’s nemesis, Huebert Pelligrini (Herve Pierre). Assane and Clare panic after realizing what has happened. Part two picks back up as Detective Guedira (Soufiane Guerrab) appears, having followed them in order to find Assane. He informs them that he saw the man who took Raoul and that he can help to get him back. Now we follow the duo of Assane and Guedira as they hurry to rescue Raoul before it’s too late.
Right from the start, part two of Lupin continues to uphold the sense of suspense and intensity. As we follow Assane and the Detective race to save Raoul. The walls begin to close around Assane as Pelligrini goes on the offensive. Assane solves his problems with intelligence, cleverness and planning. Pelligrini is a blunt instrument. Whose effectiveness as a villain comes from his willingness to throw around his wealth and influence.
As the story goes on, Lupin once again uses flashbacks of Assane’s childhood to foreshadow upcoming events within the present. Episode one features a stellar sequence that parallels a physical confrontation between Assane and the kidnapper in the present. With a violin recital performed by Claire in the past. In both situations, Assane assumes the actions he has taken leading up to these moments will guarantee him victory. Only to have his triumph taken from under him at the last minute. While the flashbacks in Part one were often used as a subtle way to educate the audience on what made Assane the man he is today. Part two uses them to set the audience’s expectations rather than subvert them. This is definitely not a negative as the series still manages to pull off its surprises in the conclusion of each episode.
Omar Sy’s charisma can not be overstated enough. He plays so well off the rest of the cast and they off him. Whether intentional on the show’s part or not, you might find yourself rooting for one of many potential pairings. Between Assane and his supporting cast. Outside of the obvious choices of Claire and Juliette. Assane’s lifelong friendship with his sometimes partner in crime Marc. Or his new comradery with Detective Guedira (Who Lupin calls his Gaminard) are equally as appealing to watch play out.
The musical score and accompanying soundtrack for the show is put to highly effective use. With the score often subtly elevating the already dramatic events of the various heists, fights and escapes. Or when Lupin chooses to include songs from artists like Lizzo, Johnny Nash, and The Four Tops to mark the transition from a low stakes event like Lupin making dinner, to a pair of assassins having a fight in his living room. Another standout use of the score is during an actual concert where the music being played by the orchestra goes hand in hand with the events of the episode.
The final episode of Lupin Part Two gives a satisfying conclusion to the tale of Assane’s quest for justice. As well as his most elaborate scheme and subsequent escape yet. Assane and company pull off their final stroke against Pelligrini with the aid of a surprise last minute accomplice. While the ending does manage to tie up pretty much every loose end and story line, I hope this is not the last we see of Assane and company. The character has the potential to be as versatile and impactful as the very gentleman thief he emulates. Here’s hoping we see the further adventures of Assane Diop at some point in the future.
At a run time of just about 5 hours, Lupin makes for a fantastic weekend binge. Or better yet, start back from part one and watch the whole thing again.
The Netflix series drops on June 11th. Be sure not to miss out.
