Le Traqueur de la nuit

Le Traqueur de la nuit (2021) 

It reminded me a little of Fincher’s Zodiac, and I’m not speaking so much about the formal aspect, but about the feeling that watching both films evokes: the repeated frustration in the face of an inhuman enemy who doesn’t follow any rational pattern and leaves almost no clues that would allow to put a stop to their almost mystically terrifying actions. But whereas Zodiac casts doubts and deconstructs the procedural investigation, in this case, the killer was caught and the process results in oppressive satisfaction. The creators manage to tell a fairly intimate story about two police officers who almost never closed their eyes during the investigation and feared for the lives of their families, and, through the often brutal nature of the crimes and the amount of period material, the viewer is unknowingly forced to relive that atmosphere (on which Zodiac greatly relied) inside their own head. They also tell the events chronologically and we look at the murders according to when they were motivationally connected to key suspects, which works well to keep the curiosity about which of the trails will eventually lead the detectives to the tireless maniac. The range of motivations around the entire case is extremely complex and they not always manage to bring them to life – some of the testimonies are not very constructive, while others are hurt by tedious re-enactments (this format should provide a continuous flow of information connecting the hypotheses of the time with a retrospective reflection in various thematic circles), but the documentary is still very well structured and holds your attention from the first to the last minutes (which is also aided by the smart dosing of key twists and the questions at the end of each episode, in the style of a serial narrative). I didn’t even mind the high degree of subjective opinions or the occasional glorification of law enforcement officers that pushes aside the deeper emotions – but it’s not about psychology, it’s a description of exhausting procedures, and I quite liked it. 85% (15/01/2021)