In France, the popular press reception to the film was mixed. Monthly film journals were more favourable while the more serious journals were predominantly negative. Reviews from "Le Nouvel Observateur", "Libération", "Le Figaro" and "Le Journal du Dimanche" gave the film positive reviews, where they all appreciated Besson's "film noir" styled film and were surprised at Parillaud's acting in a demanding role. In contrast the film was dismissed in reviews from "L'Humanité", "L'événement du jeudi", "Le Monde", "Le Parisien", and "La Croix" who found the film resembled a commercial advertisement visually and psychologically had the depth of a comic strip.