French cinema, not infrequently, offers us some pearls. This is one more. A solid, well-made thriller with action and suspense and two excellent actors in the lead roles. What disillusioned me a little was the ending, which falls into an absurd cliché.

The script is based on an apparent coincidence: two police officers investigating isolated cases end up realizing that they will have to collaborate to solve a case that ultimately unites them: a wave of macabre and mysterious murders, all around an ancient and prestigious university, isolated in the middle of the French Alps.

Much of the quality of the film comes from the excellent performance of Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel, two of the most international and prestigious French actors today. The former gave life to a hard-working, unrelenting professional detective, while the other was able to perfectly embody an unconventional, young, untimely cop. The other actors, for me, were a group of illustrious strangers who only gave support to these two professionals, but it is to be noted that everyone did well what they had to do.

The film made good use of the icy landscapes of the Alps, as well as the whole winter environment. The soundtrack is very good and adds suspense at the right times, as well as sound, visual and special effects. It's not a CGI show, though. It is based entirely on the weight of the two main actors, on the ability of both to interpret well, and on the story told.

As I mentioned initially, the film is perfect until very near the end, when it tries to surprise us with a turnaround that, for me, made no sense and prejudiced the plot. The climax, in the middle of a glacier, is absolutely cliché and boring, and ends up resorting to the ragged solution of the bad twin vs. nice twin. Absurd. It would have been better to solve the movie otherwise, he truly deserved it. Anyway, as this happens even in the final part, the film is still one of those I like to see.

Although it bears superficial similarities to David Fincher's Seven, CRIMSON RIVERS is very much its own film and if I had to pick a film to partner it I'd choose the Christopher Lambert-starrer RESURRECTION. This is a French thriller full of Gallic charm and style even if it covers familiar ground and the technical qualities are strong enough to make it stand on its own merits. The film has a strong structure, initially cutting between two separate and seemingly unconnected story lines. Jean Reno (LEON) is on hand as a tough-as-nails detective hunting down the killer of a man found tortured to death, his body hung from a mountain. Vincent Cassel (EASTERN PROMISES) is an unorthodox cop looking into a case of desecration. Before too long, the paths of these cops intertwine and then the film gets really good, thanks to this central pairing.

The buddy-buddy cop idea is as old as the hills but Reno and Cassel are two fantastic actors who breathe new life into it. Watching their verbal and physical sparring is delightful. Reno plays it subdued and brooding while Cassel is wonderful given a rare opportunity to shine in a good guy role for once. Really, the serial killer story is merely the background for these two fine Frenchmen to do what they're made to do. The story itself is adequate, but the climax suffers from being rushed and too confusing, leaving many viewers scratching their heads and wondering just what has been going on. The eventual twist is also rather outlandish. Still, this doesn't matter, because the movie never stops being entertaining.

The bleak and chilly surroundings reminded me of INSOMNIA, while the instrumental soundtrack adds heaps to the suspense. There's an undercurrent of sadism and themes of Nazism and genetic engineering that give this film its dark heart. There are also some nice action set-pieces, including an excellent car chase that breathes life into the tired film cliché, and a fun fight between Cassel and a couple of thugs that doesn't fit with the rest of the movie but which I enjoyed all the same. A film that works purely because of the strength of the two main actors involved, CRIMSON RIVERS is a lot of fun and a highlight of the genre.

Parisian police commissioner Pierre Niemans (Jean Reno) is called in to investigate a murder of 32-year old single professor Rémy Caillois of mountain-side picturesque university in Gueron. He's been horribly beaten left naked in a fetal position on the side of a mountain. The university is an isolated self-sufficient incestuous place. Meanwhile volatile inspector Max Kerkerian (Vincent Cassel) is investigating a grave desecration and a school break in.

I really like the start with the creepy isolated location and the vicious murder investigation. I like the tone of it and I love Jean Reno's work. Then they split the movie into two investigations. I have nothing against Vincent Cassel or his side of the story. I just couldn't wait for them to get back to Reno. It just breaks up the movie and takes away the tension. The two investigations give off different tones anyways. Around midway, the two detectives are forced together but it needed to happen sooner. They form a fine combative duo. With more time together, they could create more chemistry in the relationship. The mystery is a convoluted one and not altogether satisfying. There is just one too many craziness going on.