Netflix has decided to turn a stone-cold classic into a by-the-books action movie. At least that’s what the trailer for Julien Leclercq’s “Wages of Fear” hints at.
Leclercq, serving as the co-writer, producer, and director of the remake, has worked with Netflix on many projects, including the action series, “Ganglands,” plus two movies in the form of 2020’s “Earth and Blood” and 2021’s “Sentinelle.”
Henri-Georges Clouzot’s 1953 masterpiece, “The Wages of Fear,” was already remade by William Friedkin into 1977’s “Sorcerer,” one of the greatest remakes ever. Both films were based on Georges Arnaud’s 1950 novel.
Friedkin’s remake, starring Roy Scheider, adapted Clouzot’s timeless film about greed as an almost spiritual sequel to "Treasure of the Sierra Madre.” To this day, I still can’t really choose between which is better, Friedkin’s or Clouzot’s film.
Set in South America, the story had four men, on the run from the law, offered $10,000 and legal citizenship if they transport a shipment of dangerous nitroglycerin 200 miles away. The hazardous journey included rocky roads, guerilla attacks and, of course, unstable bridges.
What Leclercq’s version of ‘Wages’ looks like is an ultra-slick version of Clouzot and Friedkin’s films, which were the total opposite of slick — sadistically cynical and tense thrillers, delivered in simple imagery, and obsessive attention to detail, both scathing indictments of greedy capitalism.
The Netflix remake is set to stream on March 29.
Following “Air,” this is Affleck’s latest stint behind the camera. He has cast himself in the lead role, alongside Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, and Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”).