The Burma Conspiracy

Based on the successful Belgian comic book series and novels by P. Francq and J. Van Hamme, The Burma Conspiracy is the second film in the Largo Winch series.

Unlike the first instalment, Deadly Revenge, the new flick has its emphasis more on gung-ho action rather than the multi-layered, complex forerunner. This might be a good thing or a not so good a thing, depending on how you look at it or whether you prefer your action to be full throttle.

Whereas in the first film it was sophisticated Kristin Scott Thomas who just loved to cause trouble, here we have the ultimate queen of all trouble shooters – Sharon Stone – plotting and scheming. She still has that ‘killer look’ thing down to a tee, and she still has fun doing what she does best: playing a twisted bitch!

Enter sexy hunk Largo Winch (Tomer Sisley), who is now CEO of the vast W Group. But Largo doesn’t warm to the compromises and games that money and power require. In fact, he’s so disinterested that he decides to sale the Group and instead announces the creation of a humanitarian foundation, to be led by his late father’s oldest friend. Naturally, trouble isn’t far away and comes in the shape of leggy blonde Diane Franken (S. Stone), who accuses Largo of crimes against humanity. More precise, she suspects him of having paid off – four years previously and for his father’s benefit – notorious Burmese General Kyaw Min, after the displacement of a mineral-rich native village on behalf of the W Group turned into a massacre. To worsen things (if that’s still possible) Diane furthermore claims she has a witness to back up her accusations.

More trouble in store for Largo, and it’s another woman… The ‘witness’ that Diane talks about turns out to be the exotically beautiful Malunai, a native Burmese villager with whom Largo had an affair - also four years earlier. Stunned, he sets off to find out who forces Malunai to lie, and why. If Largo thinks the trouble he’s in can’t get much bigger, he has another think coming…

Once again, the story moves in the present as well as in the past (via flashback sequences). It’s an action-laden thrill-ride and a very entertaining one at that, however, once can’t help getting the impression that this time around the action isn’t incorporated to emphasize the story but is incorporated simply for action’s sake – almost like a Bond film.