Luc Besson has always been one of the directors most intimately connected to action heroines: most obviously in Nikita, The Messenger, and Angel-A, but his other works, such as Leon and The Fifth Element also contain GwG elements. He has been largely absent from the director’s chair of late, except for his trilogy of kid-flicks based on the Arthur books, but returns to the field in April with Les Aventures Extraordinaires D’Adele Blanc-Sec, which translates as The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec (if you hadn’t worked that out). Based on a series of comics, it follows the heroine through her exploits at the turn of the century, which appear to involve… Well, here’s the official synopsis:
The year is 1912. Adele Blanc-Sec, an intrepid young reporter, will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, even sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes. Meanwhile, in Paris, it’s panic stations! A 136 million-year-old pterodactyl egg on a shelf in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the bird subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies. But nothing fazes Adele Blanc-Sec, whose adventures reveal many more extraordinary surprises… Set in the carefree world before World War I, Adele Blanc-Sec’s adventures see the brave young woman fearlessly battling crooks, corrupt politicians, demon worshippers and mad scientists.
Given Besson’s skill with action (I just watched Leon again this afternoon, and it remains one of my all-time favourites), I’m fairly hopeful for this one. The trailer is below: it opens in Europe in April.