Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet way to spend an afternoon, November 19, 2005
I saw this while visiting family in Poland, so it was all ready translated into my language and I could concentrate on the movie instead of reading subtitles.
This movie had murky, creepy and dark foes that were insanely fast and unstoppable. It starts off with a bang and it takes you on a search for the Holy Grail type of a ride with evil superhuman monks, dead bodies, catacombs and monasteries with deep dark secrets.
I sat down and didn't stop paying attention till it was over. Jean Reno is great; you just have to enjoy his presence because he does what he knows well. Also there was a scene where his fellow officer Reda who runs amok chasing this monk and they are running on roofs, trains, jumping off buildings, for like 3 minutes. No strings and computer magic just run out of breath chase. It was amazing; my favorite part of the movie and it really imbedded itself into my head.
Great flick, it has action, suspense, blood and gore, secrets and history; a sweet way to spend an afternoon.
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17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Flat and Superficial Thriller with Flashy Images, March 7, 2005
'Crimson Rivers -- Angels of the Apocalypse' ('Les Rivieres Pourpres 2: Les Angels de L'Apocalypse') has little to do with the first one except that the new film has Inspector Niemans played by Jean Reno, the star of the original. Instead of Vincent Cassel, the task of his partner is given to Benoit Magimel, and the script is written by Luc Besson, known for 'The Fifth Element.' Perhaps more interesting are the names of the guest stars, Johnny Hallyday ('The Man on the Train') and, look, legendary Christopher Lee, Count Dracula, or Saruman of 'LOTR.'
The story is the original of Besson, which means nothing original. A dead body of a man is found in the 'Room No 13.' of one secluded monastery, and the way of burial is, as you see, nothing ususal, like a cat in Poe's famous story. While tough detective Niemans investigates the case, mysterious killer(s?) keep on murdering the victims according to their own rituals.
Before a younger cop Reda (Magimel, very good) joins in Niemans's investigation, following the suspect of another strange case, we know where the film is going to lead us. The film's mystery includes, as the title suggests, a biblical theme, and it is not hard to guess the motives of the serial killing. And when Christopher Lee appears as a minister of Germany (he is playing a German), and talks about the days of WW2, now you know Besson is not the most creative writer in the world.
[MAKES ME DIZZY] The film is directed by Olivier Dahan, whose previous works I have not seen yet. But obviously he does not like the time-tested, traditional method of filmmaking, and seems to have refused to use storyboards. In short, the entire film looks like a 100 minute MTV show, French version.
The images of the film are always restless, as if trying to test our patience. The camera often shows slanted picture, and whenever it wants, it starts to rotate without particular meaning. Though unique places (like Maginot Line) are additional merits to the banal story, and the dark, dump, atmosphere of the place is very realistic, these precious moments are scatterd among the pointless and thrill-less script that offers no interest except blood and body count.
Some of the stunts are memorable, the chase scene between Maginel's cop and the high-jumping assassin in particular. Whoever he or she may be, the stunt deserves special mention. But alas, the director meddles with the stuntperson's great job, with cut, cut, cut, and the silly camerawork that, I firmly believe, should be banned in making any action parts in future. And poor editing (which reminded me of the streetcar chase scenes of 'The Rock' which gave me a headache). Sometimes I cried, 'What's going on?'
Reno and Magimel are good, but the acting is not their best, and the same can be said about the legendary actor Lee. And the run-of-the-mill story of Besson, who has written as many as three scripts in 2003 alone, needs a more twisted plot, like that of the original, and what a disappointing ending, which makes no sense whatever. Though there are some fleetingly exciting moments, the flat and incredibly convinient conclusion would exactly tell you why Besson can write so many screenplays.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Nowhere near the first CRIMSON RIVER, February 8, 2008
Jean Reno,
A fine actor. This movie just wasn't worthy of him. The first "Crimson River" was one of the finest filmed movies I have ever seen. The cinematograpy was gorgeous. Angels of the Apocalypse just didn't measure up. Sort of a Davinci Code with "ninja monks"?
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