‘Hannibal’ Actor Falls in Love With a Ford
Even if you have not heard the name Mads Mikkelsen before, you know who he is. He’s fairly well known for playing cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter in Brian Fuller’s recently-concluded foray into the TV world, Hannibal. Beyond that, he also has played a villain in several high-profile films, from his turn as James Bond baddie Le Chiffre in Casino Royale to his upcoming role as Kaecilius in Marvel’s highly-anticipated Doctor Strange.* This week, Mr. Mikkelsen added a new short film to his acting portfolio called “Le Fantôme,” which is actually an artful ad for the Ford Edge.
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Don’t be fooled, Le Fantôme is plotting murder most foul.
Directed by Jake Scott, son of Ridley Scott, Mikkelsen is cast as the titular Le Fantôme, a hired gun for an imprisoned arms dealer. He is pursuing the couple who turned in the dealer to the law, traveling to an undetermined European city after they entered a witness protection program. While both individuals have had extensive surgery to hide who they are, Le Fantôme is able to find them because they refuse to give up their bright orange Ford Edge.
I get it, this is an ad for the Ford Edge, but seriously? They couldn’t just buy a different Ford Edge in a slightly less obvious color? My white Ford Focus drives just as well as a blue one. Unless Ford has something to tell me.
Does this European Ford Edge not have a backup camera? How did they not see him lurking there in the garage?
Anyway, back to the video. When Le Fantôme finds the couple’s hideaway, he discovers a box full of pictures and wedding rings to confirm their identity. But he is stopped in his investigation by the couple returning home, and the hired assassin develops a soft spot and is unable to do the deed. Considering how thoroughly Le Fantôme feels up the couple’s SUV, though, I can’t really tell if the soft spot is for the car or the humans.
Le Fantôme tells his employer that he gives up the job, and proceeds to save the couple from another assassin, called The Widow. He then takes the Ford Edge for himself, leaving the couple with his motorcycle (which is obviously not a Ford), plane tickets to a new hideout location, and their hidden wedding rings. I think Le Fantôme was trying to tell them that staying together and alive was more important than one fairly common Ford SUV.
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Check the video out for yourself below and see what you think.
The short film is pretty cool, considering it’s really just a very long commercial for the Ford Edge, with great cinematography and a decent amount of plot in eight minutes. I’m just concerned for the Le Fantôme, especially after watching him basically cuddle an SUV. Hopefully after he drives off into the sunset he finds a friend or someone he can talk to, instead of caressing an American car.
*For the record, I recommend A Royal Affair (where Mikkelsen does NOT play a villain), and Kyle recommends everyone give Valhalla Rising at least a few minutes of their time.
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