Le Gang des Bois du Temple (The Temple Woods Gang)

“Isn’t this supposed to be a film about a heist?” This is a reasonable reaction to the opening scenes of director Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche’s 2023 Berlinale entrant. The feature’s introduction is concerned with the unremarkable death and funeral of an elderly woman, and takes place almost entirely without dialogue. Less an action film about a heist, more a drama that happens to feature a heist, the piece is more interested in the aftermath of the crime.

The gang themselves are a selection of middle-aged men from the Résidence des Bois du Temple estate, north-east of central Paris. They quickly (and apparently successfully) execute their crime, robbing a vehicle transporting vast sums of cash belonging to a Saudi prince. Believing they’ve earned the chance to rest on their laurels, the gang’s success is short-lived when associates of the prince come calling. 

De-emphasising the narrative importance of the heist is an interesting call, with this focal point taking place very early in the story as if it’s a prologue to the main attraction. There’s a respectful amount of violence and gunplay, with the action presented in a matter-of-fact manner: it’s not slick or stylised, nor is it affectingly gritty. The grounded tone of the film is sufficiently persuasive that it’s only in hindsight that a viewer realises how wonderfully preposterous the conclusion is, and it’s a tribute to the work that this denouement in fact feels so effective. 

The gang themselves are less convincing, almost existing as an entity instead of fully-realised individuals. Some are given more characterisation than others when the excrement hits the fan; some have more to lose. As seems to be an increasingly common approach, many scenes of Le Gang des Bois du Temple continue for an inordinate length of time. A greater understanding of its characters would have helpfully raised the stakes in this otherwise solid French drama.

Oliver Johnston

Le Gang des Bois du Temple (The Temple Woods Gang) does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2023 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Le Gang des Bois du Temple (The Temple Woods Gang) here: