Nobody sings “Master of the House” in the new French film “Les Misérables.” And not a single character is named Jean Valjean or Inspector Javert. The action’s set more than two centuries after 1815, and begins with a blood-pumping shot of revelry after France’s 2018 World Cup win over Croatia, in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe.

Mercifully, the script is not 1,400 pages long.

And yet there is a strong emotional connection to Victor Hugo’s giant novel, which has been turned into a Broadway musical, movies and TV shows. This version remains a tale of downtrodden Parisians and dogged policemen who hound them. Only now we get 21st-century twists: teens with drone cameras, members of the Muslim Brotherhood and a Romani circus.

Director Ladj Ly has set his swift film in Paris’ less-romantic Montfermeil district, which is a nice break from the seductive City of Light scenery American moviegoers are accustomed to. A new cop, Stéphane (Damien Bonnard), has left a tony area to join a patrol there — but soon discovers his commanding officer Chris (Alexis Manenti) is a careless brute who needlessly torments the neighbors.

When a local kid named Issa (Issa Perica) steals a lion cub from a visiting circus — not quite Valjean’s loaf of bread — a chase ensues, and the film turns into a more familiar tale of police brutality. A final “Home Alone”-like clash in an apartment building is said to be inspired by actual events, and brings balance to what could be an overly simplistic tale. That, perhaps, is “Les Misérables’ ” most honorable nod to the original: Hugo’s book sure ain’t simple.