Review: Top-tier talent is just about enough to save ‘Liaison’ from mediocrity

Globetrotting espionage thriller Liaison, which premieres on Apple from Feb. 24, brings together two formidable performers in Vincent Cassel (La Haine) and Eva Green (Penny Dreadful) for the first time, making this slick slice of bilingual cyber-terrorism an enticing prospect for anybody after some international espionage.  

Created by Virginie Brac and Oliver Butcher, Liaison opens at a house party in Damascus, where Gabriel (Cassel) is playing poker and knocking back shots. In an audacious aerial transition, which speaks to the cinematic quality throughout, audiences are then bounced across a war-torn city to finally settle on Samir (Aziz Dyab), a Syrian native with serious cyber-crime skills, who possesses an elegant USB drive shaped like the Star of David.  

As he continues tapping away, and lines of code merge within multiple applications, cameras cut to his brother Walid (Marco Horanieh) being frogmarched down a corridor. In the moments that follow encrypted files are crucially saved, fail-safe plans are put into action, and both men escape as hard drives are wiped and explosions cut their attackers in half.  

Back in London, Alison (Green) and Ricard Banks (Peter Mullan) are brought in, when London’s cyber-crime security center is hacked by forces unknown. Elsewhere in Paris, Sophie (Irene Jacob) and Didier (Stanislas Merhar) try to earn points off each other in front of the French president, when it becomes clear that one of the Syrian hackers is seeking asylum with them.  

Gabriel is the essential piece of the puzzle which connects each side, flitting between London and Paris to speak with middle man Dumas (Gerard Lanvin) and Alison respectively – each one sharing a deep connection with him, but for completely different reasons. Liaison is a series with some seriously dark secrets, compounded by subtle shades of misdirection, which might not feel riveting throughout, but dramatically matter on numerous levels. 

Where both central performers excel comes in moments shared later down the line. As Alison and Gabriel pass like covert ships in the night, there is as a rekindling of old feelings, which duly clouds judgement and threatens everything else. Between the oily IT security chief Bolton (Patrick Kennedy) and gruffly diplomatic government suit Banks, Alison begins playing an increasingly dangerous game. 

Trading in smoke and mirrors, Bolton perpetually moves the goalposts, and remains strategically evasive before eventually showing his hand. To keep Alison’s allegiances UK based, Banks embroils her husband Albert (David Francis) in the fray, utilizing his skills as a prominent human rights lawyer, to circumvent legal red tape as other countries get involved.  

As the past begins catching up to both Alison and Gabriel, Liaison becomes about much more than two skilled hackers stealing secrets. With London underwater following a more evasive hack from sources unknown, this series branches off into European waters, touching on intercontinental relations in the wake of Brexit, as well as matters of deportation for those with questionable status.  

How all that translates in dramatic terms is a mixed bag. Across the board there are some genuinely excellent performances from a top-tier cast, hitting their marks and keeping things engaging. However, all the polished production values money can buy are no match for carefully crafted tension.  

As Liaison moves around the globe, from refugee encampments at Dunkirk to opulence overkill in Paris, any sense of fear is sadly lacking. With actors like Jacob (Au Revoir les Enfants) and Cassel (Mesrine) on the call sheet, it should be as simple as pointing a camera at them.  

Etched into every facet of his face are some unspoken certainties, that instantly ground Gabriel in the moment. Precisely organized, effortlessly stylish, even knee deep in desert fatigues, this character implies miles traveled and lessons learned. On the other hand, Alison feels conflicted by compromise, having settled for safety within the confines of government institutions. Still career-driven and emotionally distance, Green imbues her with an ethereal quality, which adds an essential air of mystique to the performance overall. Factors which might keep audiences engaged from start to finish, but for reasons which have little to do with the story.  

Although Liaison might seek to address more important issues within the fabric of its narrative, it rarely digs deep enough to make an impact. Human rights violations, religious wars, and the ongoing fiasco which is post-Brexit Europe are all honorable issues. However, that fundamental lack of momentum, which might not seem obvious from episode one, ensures that Liaison misses out on being truly great drama by a hair’s breadth.