Speaking of the film's critical reception in France, Besson noted he would not talk to the press, stating that he would want to "count on them to help me, to help me evaluate my own work", and that the "critics should be looking towards the future, but in France, all they want to talk about is the past." Besson went on to state: "I don't have much belief in the sincerity of critics, I believe in the sincerity of someone who goes to a film, pays his ticket and comes out saying what he thinks because he has nothing to gain by doing so. The critics defend an ideology, their age, their profession, a lot of things that don't interest me." Paris Critic Marc Esposito of "Studio" responded to Besson statements, describing Besson as someone who "thinks he's a nice guy, and everyone around him is evil. We are all guilty of not adoring Luc Besson."