Released in Germany on April 19 this year, Mathieu Kassovitz's film has attracted 621,937 spectators, holding its ground in the Top 10 at the German box office.
Distributed by Tobis StudioCanal, "The Crimson Rivers" has been widely acclaimed by German critics: "A European thriller... offering not only suspense but also a spiritual dimension, without relying exclusively on shock effects." (A.Z. Munich).
Compared to large-scale American productions, it is seen as "an incredibly gripping thriller, in the same vein as 'Sieben'. It excites the neurons and takes them on an extremely rough ride." (Yam). "As captivating as 'Sieben'"(TV Spielfilm), Mathieu Kassovitz's film has been welcomed by audiences seduced by French know-how: "The best thriller in a long time – it overshadows all of Hollywood's recent efforts at this genre." (Westphälische Rundschau).
Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel have been showered with praise for their performance in the film: "An intelligent film intended to shock, with an excellent cast" (Freudin), "...first-rate actors", "The Reno/Cassel duo, so perfectly matched and yet worlds apart in their roles as police investigators, creates an effect as brilliant as the richness of the action..." (Märkische Oderzeitung) ...", "...a remarkable cast..." (Zitty).
