Netflix's latest action thriller hit has audiences wondering what exactly its cryptic title means.
Named Ad Vitam, the new French-language film follows in the footsteps of movies like Under Paris, marking another streaming hit mega-hit out of the European nation.
The movie follows a French man named Franck as his past comes to bite him when his pregnant wife, Leo is kidnapped for (what seems at the time) no reason.
What Does Ad Vitam Mean in the Netflix Movie?
Ad Vitam on Netflix has confused fans with the meaning behind its ending.
It turns out that the French-language drama takes its name from a real-life Latin phrase "Ad Vitam" or "for life."
The phrase is notably featured on the police badge of the main character, Franck, a heirloom that was left behind by his late father. The badge symbolizes a significant moment in Frank's life, as he follows in his father's footsteps to become a member of the elite French police known as GIGN.
The badge itself also becomes key in the movie's proceedings as, after Franck's wife Leo is mysteriously kidnapped to start the film, Ad Vitam jumps back in time, showing what exactly she was taken and the criminal conspiracy Franck was at the center of unravellings.
After some time on the GIGN, Franck was eventually dismissed from the force following the death of his partner. His partner Nico was murdered in cold blood chasing a lead Franck had tipped his team off to, thinking he may be on the precipice of uncovering a massive criminal cabal.
However, the GIGN brass deems the criminals were nothing more than small-time crooks and Franck should not have put his team in danger like that in the first place.
That is until the Ad Vitam badge comes back into play. Looking at the badge sometime later, Franck discovers that there is some blood from that faithful night dried upon it.
This leads him to get the blood DNA tested, revealing his hunch was right and the criminals were actually government moles working within the ranks of French the government. It is this information that leads to Leo's kidnapping, as Franck's foes seek to dispel this evidence and silence the former GIGN agent.
This sends Franck on the run, as he has both his political foes (as well as the French government itself) coming after him.
The "Ad Vitam" phrase comes back into play during the movie's ending, symbolizing the things Franck (and Leo) do "for life." As Franck is eventually captured and jailed, it is revealed that Leo is still alive and well, and she has given birth to their baby girl.
In a jaw-dropping twist, the movie reveals Leo is ready with all the evidence Frack had collected over the years, to prove Franck's innocence in all of this (despite several opposing forces trying to make a convincing case that Franck was the mole).
They use the proof to pin the crimes that led to his partner's death all those years ago on the people responsible.
"Ad Vitam" becomes the theme of the movie, showing the things a person is willing to put themselves through when faced with dire circumstances. It is "life" that pushes Franck (specifically the life of his wife and unborn daughter) that pushes him to do what he does throughout the movie.
By the end "Ad Vitam" becomes more than just an inscription on her father's badge, it is a mantra left behind by Franck's dad for his son, and one he takes to heart in honoring the life of his fallen comrade as well as saving Leo and his baby.
Ad Vitam is now streaming on Netflix.
Fans of the hit Netflix thriller may also enjoy the French-language Lupin series (which has four seasons streaming now on the platform as well).
