Bon Voyage

From the director of the classic Cyrano De Bergerac comes another lavish French epic, this time set during the 1940 German invasion.

It sounds like heavy stuff, but the film is actually a combination of adventure and farce, with the best comic part going to Isabelle Adjani as an irresistible actress who spends her life manipulating every man she encounters. As she collapses in tears onto her chaise longue, the strings soar, and we know the battle is won.

The plot revolves around a classic MacGuffin: the last remaining bottles of "heavy water," a substance which could win the war for whoever gets hold of them.

Their chief protector is a geeky student, played by the mesmerising Virginie Ledoyen, just one of a stellar cast that includes the always-watchable Gerard Depardieu and rising star Gregori Derangere.

This is a first-class production, with lavish sets, sumptuous cinematography and a script that squeezes excitement and humour out of the most mundane opportunities.

However, the film never fully grabs our attention, as it steers so wide of anything serious, or weighty, and ends up feeling surprisingly slight.