If Looks Could Kill

Michael Corben from Detroit is introduced as an 18-year-old charm with a laid-back approach to life, a natural smile, and a track record of skirting responsibilities. He’s smart enough to see through trouble but chooses not to let it slow him down, spending most days in clubs and parties rather than in class. His high school days are winding down, and the looming graduation hits a snag when he discovers he’s missing a French credit. The one slim chance to graduate on time comes in the form of a summer trip: the French teacher, Mrs. Grober, and the entire French Club head to France for a summer school program, and Michael is invited to tag along and participate.

At the airport, luck—hidden in plain sight—takes a strange turn. A CIA agent also named Michael Corben is en route to France, but he is killed by the assassin Ilsa Grunt, who works for the enigmatic Augustus Steranko, a mastermind with plans to seize Europe’s gold and mint his own currency. Because critical details about the agent’s true identity have been kept secret, the real Michael Corben is mistaken for the CIA operative. He is boarded first class to Paris and, on arrival, whisked away by British Intelligence, who see potential in him despite the confusion surrounding his identity.

What follows is a rapid induction into a world of espionage and high-tech gadgetry. Michael discovers that Steranko’s scheme isn’t merely theft; it’s a grand scheme to destabilize Europe’s financial order. Steranko murders finance ministers as part of a broader plot, and his plan hinges on control and deception. To navigate this peril, Michael agrees to play along, especially when he realizes he can access a suite of undercover perks. He tests out gadgets that sound straight from a spy fantasy: X-ray glasses that reveal hidden details, exploding chewing gum that adds an edge to confrontations, and LA Gear sneakers with suction cups that offer surprising mobility. A sleek Lotus Esprit becomes part of his new, if bewildering, reality as he tumbles deeper into a world where danger and opportunity walk hand in hand.

The danger isn’t confined to Michael alone. Steranko’s reach extends far enough to seize Mrs. Grober’s group—his captors hold Michael’s teacher and his fellow students at a remote castle stronghold, turning a summer trip into a high-stakes hostage situation. Into this peril strides a determined ally: Mariska, the daughter of Agent Blade, who was murdered by Steranko and his gang. Mariska becomes a crucial partner in the fight to stop Steranko’s plan and to rescue everyone swept into this perilous plot. Together, they plot a path to safety, aiming not just to spare their lives but to protect Europe’s fragile gold supply from a disruptive, new currency that Steranko intends to impose.

Michael’s resolve is tested when he’s briefly captured and imprisoned by Steranko’s men, but his resourcefulness and grit drive him to escape. He succeeds in a bold rescue mission, pulling Mrs. Grober to safety and freeing his classmates from captivity as they inch closer to disrupting Steranko’s operation. A dramatic clash with Zigesfeld—one of Steranko’s henchmen with a prosthetic gold hand—pits Michael against a seemingly unstoppable foe, and the battle underscores the escalating stakes of the mission. Throughout these twists, the core aim remains clear: to prevent Steranko from cementing his control over Europe’s wealth and to retrieve the kidnapped allies, including the teacher who has become a symbol of ordinary life threatened by extraordinary danger.

As the pursuit intensifies, Steranko makes a desperate bid to escape with his hoard aboard a Eurocopter Ecureuil helicopter. Michael refuses to let the villain walk away with both people and gold, and he stages a daring rescue that culminates in a harrowing confrontation aboard the chopper. In a fall that serves as the story’s climactic moment, Steranko meets his end when he falls from the helicopter, taking the onboard gold with him. The dramatic downfall of the antagonist also signals a return to order and safety for Michael and those he cares about.

With the immediate threat neutralized, the real outcome becomes personal triumph and the return of normalcy, as Mrs. Grober finally grants Michael the French credit he needs to graduate. The summer that began as a misadventure intended to secure an academic credential becomes a life-changing journey, revealing Michael’s capacity to grow, take responsibility, and embrace a future that lies beyond the haze of partying and easy detours. The film closes on a note of renewed possibility: a young man who started as an underachiever returns from a perilous adventure with a sharper sense of purpose and a newly earned milestone that signals the start of something more mature and meaningful.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 16:00