Critics reviews

This 1996 feature wears the sleek cloak of an entertaining action thriller, filled with drug deals and paybacks, yet it’s essentially a tale of chivalry: the tenderness between the bandit (Sener Sen in a subtle, intelligent performance) and his lover (Sermin Sen) transcends age and separation, and the old thief’s deep affection for the young punk (Ugur Yucel) ends in the noblest sort of sacrifice.

Most reviews of ''Bandit'' have been highly positive. Several critics suggested that the film owed some of its popularity to the coincidence that it was released just as the scandal broke. One reviewer wrote that the film touched a nerve in Turkey because it reflected ''scandals which have touched the highest levels of the state.''

Packed with cliches and impossible coincidences, pic merrily stays one step ahead of reality. Sener Sen gives the aging bandit a mythical dimension, but a warm smile and wise heart keep him human and even laughable at times.