This film that starts out grabbing you ends out leaving you feel dazed and confused. The dead body found of a young men, horribly tortured and left to die slowly, is the reason d'entrance of Jean Reno. Answering a local investigators question "where the unit to investigate" is with a stoic "I am the unit", you feel you're in for something good. And that's pretty much what you get. A hunt for a killer, slowly paced giving Reno all the chance to shine, which he does, leading you from clue to clue. Not a groundbreaking concept but the beautiful and meticulously filmed scenery quite makes up for that. Then a typical book-like twist is made introducing what appears to be another main character: Vincent Cassel. His investigation into the desecration of a tomb seems to lead him to Reno's dead bodies. So far so good until, out of the blue, the writers feel the need to make Cassel go Chuck Norris on some wannabe Nazis's in a fight scene so absurdly bad, including 1980's sound effects, it makes you question what kind of movie you're actually watching. Or what movie the makers want you to watch. Unfortunately, it's all downhill from here. As if the over the top action scene with the Goring 2.0's wasn't enough, a whole lot more of Action Jackson is released upon the viewer as the more and more unlikely plot is revealed quite fast in contrast to the beginning of the movie. After the interesting fight the movie goes for two awards in the weird category with an even so interesting foot-chase ending up in the middle of anti-climax land leading right to a totally uncalled for Mexican stand- off between Jean "The Unit" Reno and his local constabularies. From here, the credit build up from the start of the movie has declined pretty much completely and the final revelation are met with a sincere "Huh. So that was what that was all about. Huh." Still, Jean Reno delivers which makes this film watchable.

Two strong French actors at the top of their game and a solid script which is involving, not too gimmicky (for a murder mystery), and certainly not afraid to get its hands dirty for the sake of stronger drama. that is The Crimson Rivers, and it works.Jean Grangé adapts his own novel for the screen with Matthew Kassovitz behind the camera. The story introduces us to two skilled cops working different cases in the Alps region of France. Detective Pierre Naimons is investigating a homicide. A man's body was found naked in the mountains with his eyes removed and his hands chopped off. Meanwhile, Lt. Max Kerkerian is investigating the desecration of a girls gravestone in a cemetery, on which a swastika has been spray painted. Circumstance brings the two cops together only to find that they may be looking for the same person (or group of people).Crimson Rivers puts a kind of ironic spin on the term 'cold-blooded murder'; emphasis on 'cold'. There is only one scene I can recall that is sunny and green. The vast majority of the movie takes place in psychologically chilling and frigid locations, from a damp nunnery, to an extensive chase scene across a university campus in the middle of a sleet storm. There is also one short but memorable sequence that takes us into the eroded labyrinth of a prehistoric glacier. I wonder where they shot that (easy enough to find out I guess). Even from the movie's first shot, you know that you are going to be in for a cold twisted ride. The Crimson Rivers at its core is just a murder mystery (one of the oldest of film genres) but it is in the way the film plays out that makes it feel more legitimate and less derivative. The only problem that the film has which is typical of most of these movies, in that it gets increasingly convoluted, and the connections have long began to fray by the time the climax begins. I still do not fully understand the concept, but I get the gist of it.What is more important is that I had a good time. You may enjoy it too.

The movie works for the most part, but gets progressively less coherent as it goes along. Certainly the mountain setting is perfect, and the acting totally acceptable. There is good chemistry between Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel. The action sequences are also quite good. The problems with the film are two fold. The English dubbing in places is only marginally understandable, and the story doesn't flow so that you are able to comprehend what is taking place on the screen. I don't know? Perhaps something is being lost in the translation, but to me, "The Crimson Rivers" is somewhat flawed, but watchable. Just my opinion. - MERK

This french thriller definitely delivers the goods in terms of good writing, suspense, creepy atmosphere and breathtaking locations and cinematography.Commissaire Pierre Niemans (Reno) is investigating the brutal murder of a professor in a remote mountain valley called Gueron. Soon he discovers another body buried in a glacier. At the same time 200 km. away Max Kerkerian, also a cop, is investigating a damaged tomb. His investigation leads him to a twenty year old horrific accident that is directly related to Niemans's murder investigation in the remote mountain valley.Maybe this is the french answer to "Silence of the Lambs", this horror thriller from France is exceptionally well executed, with creepy atmosphere to spare, knockout suspense set-pieces, taut action and a killer twist in the end. Technically speaking this is first rate with terrific cinematography of breathtaking locations, "The Crimson Rivers" simply has an astonishing look.French veteran actor Jean Reno easily pulls off his role as the weary Commissaire who has a paralyzing fear of dogs for some reason. Vincent Cassel is no less convincing as the young hot-head cop who teams up with Reno.For fans of creepy, fast paced and (somewhat far fetched but) well written mysteries, "The Crimson Rivers" will easily do the trick.