Film: The Axe – Kill your competitors to get a JOB

I know Costa Gavras is one of the famous Political Film Director. In Costa’s 4o years of Film Carrier, he has just directed 19 films. All the films are controversial, critically acclaimed, participated in various film festivals, won awards, and triggered sound debates.

When I was buying DVDs in a shop, I came across Costa’s movie. Costa is my all-time favorite director. I don’t want to miss any of his movies, so it’s very obvious that his film “The Axe” ended up in my cart.

The description of the movie was stating it has a nerve-racking action thriller about a serial killer.

It was fascinating for me. I thought that Costa did an experiment on switching from political films to commercial action-thriller, but it can’t be, He got amazing opportunities in Hollywood, but he never left his political agenda, so suddenly I can’t see any reason for him to run behind cheap commercials.

Now the movie The Axe and its description increased expections.I started to think about other possibilities. Did he take a movie to explain the political side of serial killing? If yes, what is the politics?

I have habit of browsing in the Wikipedia and reading the plots about movies, before watching it.Thanks to Wikipedia, the article about this film is stub.

The Movie is about Bruno, an Executive in Paper Industry. Bruno loses his job due to outsourcing and downsizing. Initially He thinks that he will get another job easily because of his experience. Globalization shows its dark face.

Rarely does he get call for job, where he wants to compete with at least 6 or 7 eminent competitors of his profile. Very less job opening (or not at all) and big competition. Bruno’s Aim is to get placed at Arcadia, the biggest paper production company in France. But Arcadia was having excellent executive.

To get a job, Bruno sketches a bloodiest plan. First, killing Arcadia executive to create job vacancy for him. Next, killing all his competitors for interview, who were skilled and experienced than Bruno? He justifies himself with his family’s financial struggle. This is the only way to get his job.

Costa adopted this movie from Donald Westland’s Novel “the Axe”. It was perfect film to criticize current political and economic situations.

Now Peoples loosing job because of globalization and the jobs are outsourced. Downsizing of companies is a normal word. No Social welfare, Social state was a joke now. Peoples forced to earn money to live. The Other side of competition is eliminating.

This theme was not new. Chaplin’s Monsieur Verdox, in which Chaplin acted as a murderer, was dealt the same plot. Chaplin acted as a serial killer in that movie; He kills wealthy widows to run his family.

Bruno’s Murder was not justified, instead was well criticized. When thousands of people fighting against this economic situation were very few turns to be murderers. But the climax of this film clearly states that they cannot allow staying in their new status which they got from bloodshed.

I am always wondered how Costa chooses his subjects. He was master in portraying high, complex, social situations and its politics in his cinema. It requests lot of skill, he want to master him politics, society and cinema. It also requires lot of reading and research.

Now we can understand why only 19 movies in 4o years.I salute this master.