Mesrine: Killer Instinct is part 1 of a two-part 2008 French-Canadian "Mesrine" film series directed by Jean-François Richet and starring Vincent Cassel as the French criminal Jacques Mesrine. Based on Mesrine's autobiographical book "L'instinct de mort", Killer Instinct details Mesrine's rise in the Paris criminal underworld after serving in the army in Algeria, as well as his early exploits in Paris, and later in Quebec, Canada. Part 2 is known as Mesrine: Public Enemy Number 1. In France, this film is known as L'instinct de mort.
Killer Instinct's script was by French gangster Jacques Mesrine, and
Mesrine uses a M1911 pistol to execute a prisoner in Algeria. Later, he acquires a nickel-plated M1911 in France that he uses for much of the movie.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingColt Government ModelError creating thumbnail: File missingMesrine executes the prisoner, a turning point which convinces him that he could be a murderer not for the government, but for his own gain. Mesrine has an almost identical pistol upon his arrival back from in Paris, his new one seems to be nickle plated though, not blued like the one in this picture.Error creating thumbnail: File missingHis own pistol is turned against him by his new boss, Guido (played by Gérard Depardieu) who lifted it from him when they hugged for the first time. This is the pistol that Mesrine uses throughout most of the rest of the movie.
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun
Paul (Gilles Lellouche) steals a 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun from an apartment that he and Mesrine rob in Paris. Mesrine's partner in Quebec, Jean-Paul Mercier (Roy Dupuis), also carries a double barreled shotgun when he is confronted by two park rangers in the forest.
During the shootout at the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul prison in Quebec, Mesrine throws an Uzi submachine gun into the prison yard in an attempt to enable the prisoners to escape.
Most of the prison guards seem to be armed with Winchester 1300 shotguns. Later, two park rangers who come upon Mesrine and his accomplices in the forest are also armed with 1300s.
Mesrine and his accomplice Jean-Paul Messier (Roy Dupuis) are armed with M16A2 rifles when they attack the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul prison. Their rifles have multiple magazines taped together and appear to have bayonet lugs despite having non-threaded barrels (similar to post-ban AR-15A2s).
Mesrine uses a French 12 Gauge slide-action Manufrance Rapid shotgun during the casino robbery. This hunting shotgun usually had an extended magazine. Its action is similar to that of the Remington 870 but it has an aluminum receiver. Sold in the USA during the 1970-s as La Salle Riot Gun.
