This serial killer thriller-chiller was severely underrated by critics on release – and I'm not sure why. The film is impossible to dislike and even if not magnificent or original it has all the right aspects. The score is good, the dark and moody photography excellent, even the script gives light to some interesting characterisations once in a while which is a bit of a surprise. The usual elements torn from the two most popular "serial killer" films of the 1990s are all present and correct but the film does have some interest in the shape of its central pairing, Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.
Washington takes the role of Lincoln Rhyme, a top cop who gets his back broken and spends the rest of his days as a quadriplegic lying in a bed in his huge, spooky house. Although bedridden he's still a force to be reckoned with and Washington is typically excellent in the role, especially in the scenes where he deciphers puzzling clues and puts two and two together like a modern day Holmes. The sexy Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, is a young, tough female police officer who initially spars with Washington before growing to understand (and love?) him as their relationship deepens and they grow respect for each other.
Fair enough, the plot of the serial killer is familiar and the deaths are all as unpleasant as they should be. Victims are eaten alive by rats and boiled to death by steam pipes. The film goes for a dark, unwholesome SEVEN vibe here which pays off dividends. These scenes come as no surprise but are pleasingly atmospheric and spooky, especially the hunting through dark underground tunnels. One thing I will say is that the identity of the killer is far too easy to guess; I had narrowed it down to two suspects early on and at the end my suspicions were confirmed. Saying that, the adrenaline-pump of the finale is excellent (if predictable), proving that you should never underestimate the power of the human will.
The supporting cast is pretty efficient for this kind of movie, with nice turns from Queen Latifah (a real surprise, this one), and especially Michael Rooker who excels as the hard-nose police Captain in charge of the case. Plus we get some turns from distinguished character actors like Leland Orser (weird and geeky as always) and Luis Guzman (underused, sadly). Despite the lengthy running time the film fairly flies by, with a good pacing and some excellent suspenseful and taut sequences showing the killer trapping his victims. You could certainly do a lot worse, which I why I recommend this movie to fans of the genre.
Washington takes the role of Lincoln Rhyme, a top cop who gets his back broken and spends the rest of his days as a quadriplegic lying in a bed in his huge, spooky house. Although bedridden he's still a force to be reckoned with and Washington is typically excellent in the role, especially in the scenes where he deciphers puzzling clues and puts two and two together like a modern day Holmes. The sexy Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, is a young, tough female police officer who initially spars with Washington before growing to understand (and love?) him as their relationship deepens and they grow respect for each other.
Fair enough, the plot of the serial killer is familiar and the deaths are all as unpleasant as they should be. Victims are eaten alive by rats and boiled to death by steam pipes. The film goes for a dark, unwholesome SEVEN vibe here which pays off dividends. These scenes come as no surprise but are pleasingly atmospheric and spooky, especially the hunting through dark underground tunnels. One thing I will say is that the identity of the killer is far too easy to guess; I had narrowed it down to two suspects early on and at the end my suspicions were confirmed. Saying that, the adrenaline-pump of the finale is excellent (if predictable), proving that you should never underestimate the power of the human will.
The supporting cast is pretty efficient for this kind of movie, with nice turns from Queen Latifah (a real surprise, this one), and especially Michael Rooker who excels as the hard-nose police Captain in charge of the case. Plus we get some turns from distinguished character actors like Leland Orser (weird and geeky as always) and Luis Guzman (underused, sadly). Despite the lengthy running time the film fairly flies by, with a good pacing and some excellent suspenseful and taut sequences showing the killer trapping his victims. You could certainly do a lot worse, which I why I recommend this movie to fans of the genre.