Netflix’s Squad 36 is a French crime thriller that explores the dark underbelly of law enforcement and institutional corruption. Directed by [Director’s Name], the film follows the journey of Antoine, a seasoned cop struggling with personal demons, as he unravels a web of betrayal within his own squad. While the premise is promising, the film’s slow pacing, morally ambiguous characters, and lack of engaging action sequences make it a tedious watch.
Despite its flaws, Squad 36 raises significant issues, such as the mental health of law enforcement officers and the moral dilemmas they face. The film has received mixed reviews from audiences, with some praising its realism and others criticizing its sluggish execution. Let’s take a deeper dive into its plot and ending.
Squad 36 Movie Plot Breakdown
A Dangerous Chase and an Unraveling Mystery
The story begins with the elite anti-gang Search and Intervention (S&I) squad chasing notorious drug lord Karim Mahmoudi through the streets of Paris. Senior squad member Antoine corners him but lets him go, as the mission directive forbids an arrest. This move sparks criticism from higher-ups, leading to tensions within the squad.
Antoine’s personal struggles come to light as we learn about his illegal underground fighting habits. His reckless behavior results in a transfer order, leading him to cut ties with his team for six months. However, tragedy strikes when two of his former squad members, Vinny and Walid, are murdered under suspicious circumstances. This prompts Antoine to investigate, only to discover that Richard, his close friend and former squadmate, has also gone missing.
Richard’s Disappearance and the Dark Secrets of the Squad
Antoine learns that Richard had been suffering from paranoia and mental instability. His search leads him to Victor Garnier, Richard’s former supervisor, who reveals that Richard feared for his life. Antoine’s investigation takes a turn when he discovers that Richard had ties to a sex worker named Kristina Donkeva. When Kristina is also murdered, Antoine realizes he has stepped into a dangerous conspiracy.
As he digs deeper, Antoine learns that his former squadmate Sami and his team had been involved in illegal dealings with the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Richard, Sami, and others had stolen a large sum of money from Mahmoudi’s drug network. Fearing retaliation from the Moroccan mafia, Richard wanted to confess, but Sami silenced him permanently.
The Truth Unfolds: Sami’s Betrayal
It turns out that Sami was the mastermind behind the killings. To cover his tracks, he eliminated Vinny, Walid, and Richard, framing Richard as the culprit. Even Hanna, Antoine’s love interest and former squadmate, gets shot during the investigation.
As Antoine pieces everything together, he confronts Sami, who ultimately takes his own life after Mahmoudi’s men attack his home. Despite Antoine’s determination to reveal the truth, his superiors, including Balestra and Commissioner Wagner, fabricate a different narrative to protect the department’s image. Sami is hailed as a hero, while the real story remains buried.
Squad 36 Ending Explained: A Cover-Up and a Tragic Fate
The ending of Squad 36 cements the film’s grim and unflinching portrayal of systemic corruption within law enforcement. As Antoine doggedly pursues the truth about his fallen comrades, he uncovers a disturbing reality—Sami, his former colleague, was the mastermind behind a series of betrayals that led to multiple deaths. Sami and his team had stolen drug money from Karim Mahmoudi, a notorious criminal, which set off a chain of brutal events.
Sami’s Downfall and the Climactic Shootout
When Antoine finally pieces together the full truth about Sami’s involvement, he rushes to warn him that Mahmoudi has discovered the betrayal. By the time Sami arrives home, Mahmoudi and his armed henchmen have surrounded his residence and taken his family hostage. A fierce gunfight erupts between the criminals and law enforcement, with Antoine and Balestra arriving to protect Sami’s family.
Despite their best efforts, Sami’s wife Vanessa is severely wounded in the crossfire. With no escape left and guilt consuming him, Sami makes a heartbreaking decision—he takes his own life. Before pulling the trigger, he begs Antoine to ensure that his children never learn about the terrible truth of his crimes. This moment underscores the devastating cost of corruption, as a once-trusted officer is reduced to a criminal and a coward in his final moments.
The Cover-Up: How the Truth is Buried
Following Sami’s death, Antoine quickly realizes that the higher-ups, including Commissioner Wagner and Balestra, have already devised a plan to frame Mahmoudi for everything. They declare Sami a fallen hero, eliminating any evidence that could expose his corruption. Balestra, though visibly disturbed by the deception, complies with the directive to preserve the police department’s reputation.
However, Antoine refuses to let the truth be buried. With Victor Garnier’s help, he retrieves Richard’s files—damning evidence of all the corrupt deals Sami and his team were involved in. Antoine is determined to go public with this information, fully aware that doing so will put him at odds with the system.
Antoine’s Death: Was It an Assassination?
Just as Antoine prepares to expose the truth, tragedy strikes. He visits Hanna at the hospital, who is still recovering from her gunshot wound. Before leaving, he returns a car and gun to Marcus, an old associate from his underground fighting days. At that moment, a man from Antoine’s past—whom he had previously fought—recognizes the car and launches a drive-by shooting. Antoine is fatally shot and dies on the spot.
While the film does not explicitly confirm whether this was a random act of revenge or a planned hit orchestrated by his superiors, the timing raises suspicions. Given that Antoine was about to go public with incriminating evidence, it’s highly plausible that the police higher-ups arranged his assassination to silence him permanently.
The Aftermath: Lies Triumph Over Justice
In the final moments of Squad 36, Antoine is given a state funeral, hailed as a heroic officer who died in the line of duty. His death effectively secures the cover-up, ensuring that the public remains unaware of the deep-rooted corruption within the force.
Balestra, one of the few people who knows the truth, takes Richard’s files with him. The film does not confirm whether he will ever act on them or if he too will succumb to the pressures of the system. Meanwhile, Victor—Richard’s old mentor and the only other person who knows everything—remains powerless to do anything. The ending leaves audiences with a bleak reality: justice is manipulated, and the system swallows those who dare to challenge it.
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Squad 36 attempts to offer a thought-provoking crime drama but falls short due to its slow pacing and lack of character depth. The film highlights important themes such as the mental toll on law enforcement and institutional corruption, yet it never fully explores these aspects.
If you enjoy slow-burn crime thrillers with morally complex narratives, Squad 36 may be worth a watch. However, if you’re looking for a gripping, action-packed experience, this film might leave you disappointed.
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