Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Criminal Lovers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 6, 2024

For his second movie, writer/director Francois Ozon heads to a fairy tale for inspiration. 1999’s “Criminal Lovers” is partly a retelling of “Hansel and Gretel,” only instead of two young siblings dealing with abandonment and hunger, Ozon offers a pair of teen lovers struggling with the aftermath of murder and the confusion of escape. In keeping with the filmmaker’s dramatic interests, the picture goes sexual, finding areas of obsession and manipulation to explore to help spice up the viewing experience. “Criminal Lovers” endeavors to be disturbing and emotionally raw, but Ozon slows the pace to a full stop at times, unable to bring his ideas to life as he tries to turn what appears to be a concept for a short into a feature-length examination of corruption.

Luc (Jeremie Renier) is a teenager in love with Alice (Natacha Regnier), devoted to a classmate who doesn’t show any respect for him, including making fun of his performance issues in the bedroom. Alice also has a lover in Said (Salim Kechiouche), but she’s looking for greater kicks in her life, talking Luc into a plan to kill the young man at school. The pair commit the crime, setting off to dispose of the body and deal with the thrill of their new reality, ending up in the woods. When they get lost in the middle of nowhere, Luc and Alice find their way to a remote cabin owned by the Old Man (Miki Manojlovic), who doesn’t take kindly to home invaders, locking them both in his cellar. Instead of murdering the teens, the Old Man focuses on fattening up Luc, preparing him for a seduction the prisoner isn’t exactly rejecting.

“Criminal Lovers” toys with time, with Ozon giving viewers limited information about the characters at the beginning of the journey. He uses flashbacks to fill in the gaps, launching the story of Luc and Alice with scenes of control, as the teen girl requires something from her boyfriend he’s seemingly powerless to reject. The pair murder Said in a shower room, taking off into the big world to deal with the results of their plan, and “Criminal Lovers” is the most interesting its ever going to be during the getaway. We see the pair’s true age in play as they seek candy and shop for toys during their trip into the wild, while Alice’s mental illness is gradually revealed, including her teary mourning of roadkill rabbit, showing emotion for an animal, not the slaughtered human rotting away in the trunk of a getaway car.

Criminal Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers distinct color throughout the viewing experience. Greenery is especially vivid during time in the forest, and the browns of rural life are also distinct. Flashier hues, such as red carpeting, register as intended, and skin tones are natural. Detail explores skin particulars on various ages and states of distress. Costuming is textured. Interiors retain depth, and exteriors offer a dimensional view of outdoor travel. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is adequately resolved. Source is in good condition.

Criminal Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA provides a clear listening experience with distinct dialogue exchanges as the characters go through states of distress, along with some whispered thoughts. Music is sharp, with crisp instrumentation. Sound effects are appreciable.

Criminal Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

Criminal Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Criminal Lovers" becomes something different in its second half, turning attention to Luc and his sexual awakening with the Old Man, which goes beyond a simple situation of Stockholm Syndrome. There's a primal event in play, but Ozon doesn't give it any urgency, allowing the picture to fall flat as it examines destructive and seductive behaviors. The feature really takes its time to get anywhere, which is frustrating to experience, but certainly Ozon's appetites for fetishistic encounters and carnal showdowns are retained in full, keeping the endeavor of some value to fans. There's just not a powerful sense of movement to the effort to support its overview of sinister urges.