The Bone Collector Review
by Brandon Herring (horrormvfn AT aol DOT com)November 22nd, 1999
Rating: * * out of * * * * (* *˝ out of * * * * * for Nzone)
Rated R for strong violence and gore, disturbing images and some language.
Starring: Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker.
Running Time: 126 minutes.
There has been films in the recent past that have changed us forever. In example 'Silence of the Lambs' is a classic or the movies, Seven scared up box-office records and grossed 100m+. Now we have another thriller, one which by the trailers looked like a scary and great thriller that actually turned out to be a slow-moving character plotted thriller with holes galore and good acting. It suffers mostly from it's lack of intensity and trying to make it's characters stick out more than anything and at times you wonder why even care about the killer? We have these such strong characters there really is no use for those other people. Sadly you can't help but compare this so-called-thriller to 'Kiss The Girls' which has so many strong likenesses that it may as well be called Kiss The Girls 2: The Bone Collector.
The plot is very intruiging however: A cop (Denzel Washington) Lincoln Rhyme is a homicide detective that does forensics on crime scenes. When trying to investigate the murder of a police officer he is struck by a large piece of something and crippled. After a series of murders start Amelia Donaghy is called in to help with the investigation a regular street cop she is, Lincoln must have her go to the scenes of the crimes and try and figure out what is happening and what is going on. The killer is a clever one and leaves many puzzle pieces to say at his crime scenes for the police to figure out what he is doing. Amelia and Lincoln team up Amelia psychically, Lincoln by radio in his bed and try to stop this killer before someone else dies....or before they do.
Even it's clever idea of a movie cannot seem to get it through in this tired, formulic and muddled thriller that seems more like a piece of trash than it does of an original or entertaining movie. It does have some high points, it's homicide scenes are well produced and the setting is also well done. The acting in the movie isn't terribly above average but Angelina Jolie seems to save it from being a total bust. The script is well-written with tons of shadowing that you find out is there at the end naturally in a mystery like this. However sometimes we see something and are left still after the credits role wondering what that was or what it had to do with the story.
Some problems with this movie include the fact that all the good parts are in the trailer for the movie itself which leaves it open to disappointment. The plot itself is good but at times unbelievable and the movie itself becomes too conventional and predictable and by the first hour I already guessed the killer. The ending is another bad thing which to me goes way to fast and isn't even really that suspenseful. Some of the acting in the movie is pencil thin with miscasts galore. Michael Rooker as an annoying cop did a great job but was severely miscast. Second of all I don't think Denzel Washington did what he could with his role and was a little stale. Ed O'Neil and Angelina Jolie probably gave the best performances in this two hour movie.
Sadly the film makers on this movie wasted Queen Latifah and it took itself way too seriously. The Bone Collector disappointed me, from it's good plot line that was wasted in the process to the ending that is confused, to the boring parts that seem to go on and on and on. The Bone Collector isn't a horrible movie, it isn't a good movie, it's just an OK movie that could have been so much better had it added more suspense and some original ideas. There are cliches galore along with predictability that you know was or is going to happen. When you see The Bone Collector I suggest not to be too hyped up. Then again that's just my opinion.
Reviewed by Brandon Herring November 11, 1999.
Brandon Herring
Http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/movie/3160/moviereviewheaven.html
"He Came Home"- Halloween
"I don't know if anyone can stop him!"- H4
"Im so scared!"- Blair Witch
" "- Silent Bob
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