French-English spy thriller ‘Liaison’ recalls the ‘Homeland’ at its best

Eva Green stars in the AppleTV+ thriller “Liaison,” the streamer’s first French-English series — which should appeal to fans of shows including “Homeland,” “24” and the UK hit “Bodyguard.”

The six-episode political thriller, premiering Feb. 24, is set against the backdrop of a romantic relationship between ex-lovers who are forced to work together again. It’s the kind of show where, only 10 minutes in, there’s already been a bevy of different on-screen captions and shots of various cityscapes informing us that the action has shifted from locations ranging from London to Paris to Syria. 

It’s dizzying, initially, but does quickly establish the series’ tone and scope. “Liaison” involves government officials, high-stakes intelligence operations, border crossings and capital cities — and wastes no time in making that clear. 

The show follows Alison Rowdy (Green), an agent who works in a cyber security center in London (so, most of her scenes are in English). She has a demanding boss, Richard (Peter Mullan) and a relationship with a busy human rights lawyer she rarely sees. Vincent Cassel plays Gabriel Delage, a mercenary who used to work in in French intelligence (most of his scenes are in French with subtitles).  

Appropriately for Apple’s first French-English show, “Liaison” stars two of France’s most famous actors: Green is best-known for playing poised women of mystery in “Casino Royale” and “Penny Dreadful,” and Cassel has played a slew of sneering sinister baddies (“Eastern Promises,” “Black Swan”).

Their paths don’t cross right away, but they both become swept up in the saga that arises from two brilliant hackers in Syria who quickly attract international attention. The hackers have information about pending terrorist cyber-attacks in Europe. They’re seeking political asylum in France, but due to their skills, they’re hot commodities that every government wants. The French president and his advisors agree to take them in, fearing that the Russians will get the hackers — but, unfortunately, plans to transport them go awry. 

“Liaison” takes its time to unfold its story and connect the disparate narrative threads of Alison in London, the hackers on the run in Syria and Gabriel in France. It isn’t clear for a while that Alison and Gabriel have a past together, or even how their stories might converge. 

But the show is never boring. The pacing is smooth with constantly ratcheting tension, interspersed with chase scenes, and the whole affair has a sophisticated, confident shine. 

There are some trope-y scenes required by the genre – hackers mumbling gibberish that the audience can’t comprehend; men in military fatigues looming around with guns, infused with some too-vague purpose. But, for the most part, “Liaison” doesn’t feel trite. It uses genre conventions well while breezing along through twists and turns. 

The series doesn’t give Green a chance to shine the way she did in “Penny Dreadful” — where she was constantly plumbing the depths of human suffering — nor does it allow Cassel to swan around like a villain in a way that’s as entertaining as some of his past work. But it’s a competent thriller that mixes action with character-driven drama. C’est bon.