ALONG CAME A SPIDER (**½)
ALONG CAME A SPIDER is another addition to the overused ("abused" is probably a better word) for the serial killer-thriller genre. It stars Morgan Freeman (DRIVING MISS DAISY) as detective Alex Cross, who is supposed to be a brilliant serial-killer-profiler, and Monica Potter (CON AIR, PATCH ADAMS) as the secret service agent Jezzie Flannigan assigned to protect a senator’s daughter from being kidnapped. She fails to do so, enter Alex Cross. Michael Wincott (METRO) plays Gary Soneji as the baddie.
You may remember Alex Cross’ character from KISS THE GIRLS which also starred Freeman. He comes from a six-novel murder mystery series written by James Patterson, and is supposed to be a modern-day Sherlock Holmes. My question is, if Cross is so brilliant, how come he can’t see the loopholes in the plot? The movie is littered with them. And towards the end of the movie, justifications for some of them come from more loopholes. It’s a shame because just as soon as you look forward to the climax, you get distracted by the details. That’s fine if you’re watching mindless entertainment like TOMB RAIDER and THE MUMMY RETURNS, but not if you’re watching a whodunit thriller.
If the screenplay and pacing of the movie is well done, then I can enjoy the movie, and for this picture, I enjoyed how well-written the characters were. They give no clichés or stupid one-liners, and most of their actions are well-thought, as they react to the surrounding events. Usually you have a stupid, unreasonable character who opposes the ideas of the lead detective, but luckily that cliché was not played out. Everyone wants to solve the case and is on the same page, as it should be. Just like Kiss the Girls the atmosphere is rich, but not as murky and earthy as. The ambiance seems a little bit more cold and professional (since it’s in the city) but it doesn’t emanate the despair and hopelessness of SE7EN.
I was surprised by Monica Potter’s performance. She usually plays very vulnerable female characters, but here she is headstrong and intelligent. But compared to Ashley Judd in KISS THE GIRLS, she’s mince meat. Even Michael Wincott who was frighteningly no-nonsense in Metro is severly underused here movie.
One reason to see the film is Morgan Freeman (one of my favorite actors). The respected New York Times critic Pauline Kael once asked, "Is Morgan Freeman the greatest living actor?" That may seem far-fetched, but if you take a look at his body of work, very few actors have played such a broad range of characters with such depth. He was a vicious criminal in Street Smart, a gentle driver in DRIVING MISS DAISY, a bullheaded school principal in LEAN ON ME, an slave turned civil war soldier in GLORY, and a wise police detective in SE7EN. All of those performances being totally unique from each other and played with exceptional care. No one plays characters that seem calm and serious better than he does. You have to notice his fixed stares, his careful delivery of lines. He could tell me that a goose is sitting on my head and I would believe him. It’s so refreshing to see a lead character such as his. He is 63 but still commands a bigger screen presence that a Wesley Snipes or a Will Smith.
Still, his performance cannot elevate this movie to be mentioned among the "good" thrillers. But Freeman is worth watching, and the way the characters talk to each other is worth listening to. The pacing of suspense is good (no "cheat-scares". But the baddie is underused, and some of the actors just can’t live up to their billing, even if the twist near the end is interesting.
And if only the plot’s loopholes could be fixed! For instance: why on earth would you keep the file of your secret hideaway on your computer, complete with picture and description???
Posted by FLIPCRITIC at July 11, 2001 12:00 AM