Olivier Assayas’ new film, “Carlos,” is a sprawling and expansive thriller. It tells the tale Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, a global terrorist who fancied himself more of a celebrity than a soldier. The film follows Sanchez, also known as Carlos the Jackal, as he left his mark across the world. Despite clocking in at a beefy five-and-a-half hours, Assayas does a superb job of internalizing the film’s main themes. It’s a kind of intellectual action flick–fitted with harrowing gun fights and intelligent social commentary. The Chronicle’s film critic, Drew Hunt, breaks it all down.

Film trailer courtesy of IFC.