Somewhere in the mountains close to Grenoble, a cruel disfigured dead body of a university-teacher is found. Commisaire Niemans (Jean Reno) from Paris investigates at the university. In Sarzac, a town 200 km away, Lieutenant Max Kerkerian (Vincent Cassel) investigates the case of a grave desecration. The trace leads him to Niemans. The both team up with each other. Was it possibly a ritual murder?
After bloodless movies like "The bone collector", I thought the genre of serial-killer thrillers is dead. I didn´t think that "Les rivieres pourpres" would tell me anything new, though I heard only good things about it. But Mathieu Kassovitz, the acclaimed director of "La Haine", knew it better. The frightening opening scene with the hypnotizing music carries you right into the happening! The "experienced cop against greenhorn" character- constellation is not new - but effective! Besides the weak ending; the twisted story and the brilliant actors kept me on the edge of my seat! Speaking of the actors - well, usually I hate such comparisons, but I would call Jean Reno a french Robert de Niro. Can something go wrong when you have him in a movie?
France doesn´t need to hide from Hollywood - a dignified revival of its genre!
After bloodless movies like "The bone collector", I thought the genre of serial-killer thrillers is dead. I didn´t think that "Les rivieres pourpres" would tell me anything new, though I heard only good things about it. But Mathieu Kassovitz, the acclaimed director of "La Haine", knew it better. The frightening opening scene with the hypnotizing music carries you right into the happening! The "experienced cop against greenhorn" character- constellation is not new - but effective! Besides the weak ending; the twisted story and the brilliant actors kept me on the edge of my seat! Speaking of the actors - well, usually I hate such comparisons, but I would call Jean Reno a french Robert de Niro. Can something go wrong when you have him in a movie?
France doesn´t need to hide from Hollywood - a dignified revival of its genre!