Shubhabrata Dutta
Helmed by Guillaume Pierret, Netflix’s ‘Last Bullet,’ AKA ‘Lost Bullet 3’ (‘Balle perdue 3’), is a French action thriller movie that is the third and final installment in the ‘Last Bullet’ franchise and a sequel to ‘Lost Bullet 2.’ The story follows highly-skilled mechanic Lino, who has just come out of prison, and is still seeking vengeance for the death of Charas. Upon finding out that Areski, the person responsible for Charas’ death, is back in France, Lino goes after him. However, he must be careful, as Commander Resz and his men are also after the same guy. The movie’s practical approach to action takes the visuals to a whole new level of intensity and wreck, thereby highlighting the franchise’s penchant.
Last Bullet Filming Locations
Filming of ‘Last Bullet’ took place entirely in France, specifically in Montpellier, Sète, Lattes, and Mireval. Principal photography reportedly began in January 2024 and took place over 68 days before wrapping up by the end of March the same year. Since the previous two movies were also shot in the same country, care was taken to ensure that the visuals appear part of the narrative that encapsulates the three movies. This meant filming in similar settings and using similar backdrops that contribute to the world-building while accentuating the aesthetic. “Everything went incredibly well. The team was on top form, so what was promised was kept,” director Pierret told Midi Libre.
Montpellier, France
Montpellier, a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea, became the base for most of the filming. The city serves as the prefecture of the department of Hérault, which belongs to the administrative region of Occitania. The crew contacted the Filming Office of the City and Metropolitan Area of Montpellier for locations, which helped facilitate production. Furthermore, 20% of the crew was recruited locally. Residents were notified about the shoot, and special care was taken to ensure safety since several scenes involved car chases.
From February 22 to 27, 2024, the Antigone neighborhood became the filming backdrop for the crew. Several scenes featuring stunts and car crashes were shot on location, while the residents were informed before filming, as streets had to be closed for hours and pedestrian ways had to be diverted. Located at 34000 Montpellier, the Place du Millénaire (Millennium Square) was sealed off for 10 days, and the area around it was specifically captured, especially the portion near the Le croissant par Martin Brossard bakery, at 40 Place du Millénaire. To ensure utmost safety, the team resorted to cars driven by extras and stuntmen as pedestrians. The iconic Millennium Square symbolizes the city’s urban expansion and is a must-see for tourists.
The Léon Blum Street and the Jacques Cartier Avenue nearby were captured as well. A chase scene was also filmed along the Lez River. The 26-hectare Montcalm Park, located at 11 Rue des Chasseurs, further helped highlight the urban setting. The movie has a fight sequence inside a tram, for which an entire train on Tram line 1 was used. Eight months before shooting, the crew met with the metropolitan departments to discuss a smooth production.
Talking about shooting in Montpellier, producer Remi Leautier, a Marseillan native, told En Commun Magazine about how his love for the city made him want to film ‘Last Bullet’ there. “I really wanted to shoot in Montpellier because I love this city. Some scenes from the first two films were lensed here. But this one will give the city a more prominent visual presence. Especially the Antigone district, which is very cinematic,” he stated.
Sète, France
The streets of Sète, a commune in the department of Hérault, Occitania, also became the background for several outdoor scenes. Filming here reportedly took place from March 4 to March 8, 2024. The area in front of the Molière Theater, located at Victor Hugo Avenue, was used to shoot sequences with cars. The area in front of the Didier Fabre Florist shop at 15 Victor Hugo Avenue was used for similar scenes. The stretch from the Le Môle Saint Louis, AKA Saint-Louis lighthouse, to the Corniche also served as a filming site for capturing car chase scenes. Some scenes were reportedly filmed near the Sète police station located at 50 Quai de Bosc.
Lattes, France
Additional scenes were also filmed in Lattes, another commune in Hérault. It lies on the south-western outskirts of Montpellier. The location’s similarity with Sète may have led the crew there while adding variety to the visuals. Cars were rigged with cameras to capture the intensity of the scenes, and drones were used for wide shots, which also aided in highlighting the backdrops. Lattes is home to the Pond of Mejean, known among visitors for bird watching.
Mireval, France
A handful of scenes were captured in Mireval, the third commune in Hérault to be used for production. The crew accessed the Goodyear Proving Grounds at Route des Plaines, the company’s sole testing and proving grounds in France. The long stretches of roads were thoroughly utilized, and many cars, including SUVs and Lino’s car, which he customizes in the film, were used. Controlled traffic enabled the crew to lens scenes featuring real traffic with cars chasing each other, drifting, and performing other stunts.
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