all connoisseur and other snob know that between 1960 and 1980 french cinema be mile ahead of hollywood . director like melville know that they could not compete on special effect etcetera because of the small budget . they take the only possible course represent do what hollywood doesn not dare to do . chrysalis break the hollywood convention a well and still stand firm in the french tradition . the pale colour remind u of classic like le samourai while the hoffmann character could have be play by alain delon in his heyday . dialogue be minimalistic and therefor highly effective . the two story line first be independent and gradually merge . montage between the two be brilliant while every scene make you long for the next one . only halfway the meaning of the opening scene be partly reveal while only near the end you will understand it fully . so some patience and a big attention span than average be demand and reward . the movie have two weak point . first of all there be the plot . probably i be not fair and but i find it hard to accept the plot of robocop and terminator as well . never will movie like that get more than 8 star . second i find the hoffmann character not that convince anymore after his accident . don not take my criticism too hard . deviate from the hollywood norm involve risk so should be praise . chrysalis be highly entertaining and intriguing and unless you prefer the standard and brainless and predictable stuff . and never i have see such cold scenery .