The Crimson Rivers

Commissaire Niémans (Réno) is a gruff, taciturn 'one-man vice squad', Lt Kerkerian (Cassel) a spunky smalltime cop who cadges spliffs off old car thief pals. Plotted like a clammy alpine thriller crossed with aspects of The Name of the Rose and Cliffhanger, the movie keeps them apart for an hour before bringing them together for the bare minimum of character friction. Adapted by Jean-Christophe Grangé from his own bestseller, the film pushes a heap of plot information so convoluted it effaces the characters and bores the baffled viewer. A demeaning mainstream effort from the director of La Haine.