Terrorist Jacob Pearce (Sean Harris) definitely doesn’t think small. Out of nowhere he and his gang ruthlessly take over a glamourous party being held at the UK embassy in Paris, execute some of the guests, and humiliate the French Defence Minister for reasons that – at least at first – remain a mystery. While the security forces are kept at bay outside, inside the embassy it’s left to French protection officer Vincent Taleb (Tewfik Jallab) and MI6 operative Zara Taylor (Ritu Arya) to try to take out the terrorists any way they can. But Pearce isn’t planning to go out in a blaze of glory. His scheme is much bigger than any one politician, and soon all of Paris is at risk.
Protection officer Vincent Taleb (Tewfik Jallab) trying to exfil French Minister of Defence Philippe Bardin (Nathan Willcocks). Credit: Simon Ridgway
Based on the blockbuster Has Fallen series of films, Paris Has Fallen is a completely stand-alone series. The characters and situations are all new; you don’t need any prior knowledge to get on board. That said, it’s handy to know that the films involve terrorists of one kind or another looking to get revenge, and the hero usually has a surprisingly strong connection to the leader they’re assigned to protect. Paris Has Fallen puts its own spin on both those elements: if you’re familiar with the films, then at least one development is going to come as a bit of a surprise.
There is one obvious difference between the movies and the series: in Paris Has Fallen, there’s two ‘good guys’ hunting down the terrorists. Out of the duo, Taleb is the more traditional hero. It’s his job to protect the officials that are being targeted, and it’s a job he jumps into with both feet (and both fists). He’s cool in a crisis, knows his way around Paris, looks good in a suit, and is a bit of a loner… or is he?
Taylor is a bit more of a mystery. As a spy, she’s not one to break cover unless she has to; her boss is one of Pearce’s first victims, so for her this is personal. And as his attack technically took place on UK soil, she’s got the job of liaising with the French forces as they hunt him down. While her role might be more on the intelligence side of things, that doesn’t mean she can’t handle herself in a fight – as one terrorist memorably finds out when he’s on the wrong end of one of her stilettos.
MI6 agent Zara Taylor (Ritu Arya). Credit: Simon Ridgway
She also has a weak point: her arty girlfriend is also a drug addict, which means Taylor has to keep their relationship a secret from her bosses otherwise she’ll lose her job. If this sounds like the kind of liaison that gets a counter-terrorism agent in trouble, wait till you see who Taleb is hooking up with.
The Has Fallen movies aren’t exactly scared of disposing of bad guys – and occasionally the good guys – in memorable fashion, and Paris Has Fallen proudly upholds that tradition. The action scenes are furious and frenetic in a very filmic fashion, sometimes delivering the solid genre thrills you want from this kind of series (yes, there is a life-and-death fight scene in a men’s toilet) while other times there’s an out-of-nowhere twist to keep you on your toes.
Someone else keeping everyone on their toes: the villain. This kind of story demands a truly memorable bad guy, and in Sean Harris (probably best known for the Mission: Impossible films Rogue Nation and Fallout) they’ve found one. At first you might think he’s another cartoony bad guy who’s stepped out of a Bond film, especially with the extensive scars on his body (the pressure bandage on one arm is a giveaway that those scars are new, which is something to keep in mind).
Jacob Pearce (Sean Harris). Credit: Urban Myth Films / Millennium IP / Canal+
But as the series goes on, his back story comes to light, and we get another big strength of telling this kind of story over multiple episodes: there’s room to show that things aren’t all black and white. He’s a terrorist totally committed to doing some very bad things, but he also has a reason for what he’s doing. While it’s not exactly a good reason, it is a very understandable one – and it does lead to some very memorable moments when those he’s coming after make the mistake of thinking he can be bought off or reasoned with.
He's ruthless, he’s motivated, and he has absolutely nothing left to lose. It’s going to take everything Taleb and Taylor have just to keep up with his scheme. And if they can’t find a way to take him down, then all of Paris will fall under his onslaught.
Paris Has Fallen premieres Thursday 26 September at 9:30pm on SBS and streaming free .
