Top Box Office Movies - Along Came a Spider

Along Came a Spider (2001) Paramount Pictures
1 hr. 43 mins.
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott.
Directed by: Lee Tamahori

Along Came a Spider

Rating:

E-MAIL GIANCARLO DE LISI

Photo: Paramount Pictures

Formulaic thrillers have been in effect for a long time. Thus it has become increasingly difficult to create a fresh, new and invigorating cinematic experience for the audience in terms of the thriller genre. This applies to the kidnap thriller 'Along Came A Spider'. Despite its' plot filled with numerous twists and turns on the "who-did not aspect", the film fails to surpass its common level of normality.

Comparing this film to other films, it is in my opinion a fact that subject to all the saturation of all the thrillers released yearly, a thriller should stand out and be recognized for its' originality. And thus not be categorized as just another thriller with a surprise ending. While this film contains many elements contained in a conventional thriller, it does not surprise nor appease as a thriller should stand on its' own.

Lee Tamahori (The Edge. Mulholland Falls) directs Morgan Freeman as he returns to his role as Dr. Alex Cross; the same role he portrayed in 'Kiss The Girls'. Yet, these two films are two separate entities and bear no resemblance in terms of plot and characters. In this outing, Dr. Cross is assigned to a case by the kidnapper himself when a Senator's daughter is kidnapped from a prestigious school for the world's diplomats.

Joining Freeman on his search is Monica Potter, a Secret Service agent who failed the kidnapped child's parents while under her supervision and now must redeem herself and rescue the child. This piece is a simple and formulaic that contains an artificial story that sets the tone as indeed a formulaic film with an opening sequence containing some bad CGI (computer generated imagery). The opening sequence displays a car skidding off the road and ending up in a dam in a truly horrible attempt at CGI.

That being said, if I may dissect the direction of the film and analyze it properly - one may not. Tamahori does not break any new ground and in a nutshell, does nothing more and nothing less to extract the most from this mediocre film. So much more could have been done with the style of the film, its' direction and performances.

Yet, the film's biggest flaw lies in s the interplay; or lack of, between antagonist and protagonist. Tension is not built; motives are built then tossed out, resulting in a slew of characters that we as the audience really have not connected with. Sympathy nor hate is not accomplished thus building a wall that prohibits us from truly entering the film and encompassing ourselves with the film's characters, dialogue, and suspense.

In conclusion, many more different styles of filmmaking could have been attempted with this film. Yet it is clear that Tamahori was not attempting to break new ground with this film and chose merely to fill 1 hr. and 40. mins. with a simple, formulaic and medium paced film that will not surprise anyone with its' mediocrity.

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Giancarlo De Lisi
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