“His life has been turned into a fast-moving meat-and-potatoes crime thriller […]. What elevates it above the norm is bravura acting by Vincent Cassel […]. Cassel so gives himself over to Mesrine’s often terrifying presence and invariably savage instincts […] lack the strength to withstand the film’s inevitable mythologizing tendencies. […] Veteran Gérard Depardieu brings a threatening gravitas to this role […]. Expertly played in a change of pace role by Cécile de France.”Kenneth Turan: Movie review: ‘Mesrine: Killer Instinct’. In: Los Angeles Times, 27. August 2010.
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“Il y a un nerf dans sa réalisation qui rend l’écran mouvant. Une urgence qui fascine. […] La transformation physique est remarquable.” Carlos Gomez: Du très grand banditisme! In: Le Journal du Dimanche, 21. Oktober 2008.
“Le film de Jean-François Richet est tout à la fois menaçant et excitant. […] Vincent Cassel […] écrase ici définitivement la concurrence par son amplitude de jeu, son charisme hollywoodien et son énergie féroce.” Didier Péron: Mesrine Lagueule Cassel. In: Libération, 22. Oktober 2008.
“Public Enemy Number One is episodic to a fault […]. The effect of Richet’s hyperventilating filmmaking […] prevents Cassel from […] creating something real. Besides Depardieu, only De France […] makes any lasting impression among the vast supporting cadre. […] Marco Beltrami’s score is loud and thoughtless.” Robert Koehler: Public Enemy Number One – Part One. In: Variety, 15. September 2008.
