As a thriller, November is slick, functional and rather hollow. As a PR exercise for French law enforcement, it’s exemplary.

With its pounding music score (by Guillaume Roussel), sweeping camerawork (Nicolas Loir) and skilful editing (Laure Gardette), November is devastatingly effective on its chosen level.

It seems crass to describe November as a thriller. Its meticulous disdain for false heroics makes its integrity as remarkable as the brilliance with which it’s been put together.

It’s all powerful, potent stuff, that in Hollywood’s hands would not doubt have been a very different, more action-orientated movie, but under the guidance of Jimenez, remains resolutely under-stated...