Since
Silence Of The Lambs and Seven, film-makers have been eager to jump on the serial
killer bandwagon. Unfortunately, nothing since has been nearly as scary or half
as innovative.
The
Bone Collector is another in a long list of disappointing thrillers, despite another
outstanding performance by Denzel Washington (Glory and Philadelphia), and a solid
turn by Angelina Jolie (Pushing Tin).
Washington
plays a disabled detective who enlists the help of a cop (played by Jolie) to
stop a string of grisly homicides in a big city. As the film progresses their
distanced working relationship becomes an incredibly strong bond, as they try
to piece together a mystery.
The
film was directed with an obvious approach by Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games and
Clear and Present Danger), who got his start with the intense thriller Dead Calm.
The problem is there isn't really anything interesting going on here, and The
Bone Collector isn't particularly scary or at all mysterious. In fact, even the
so-called surprise ending is uneventful.
The
only thing that keeps this film afloat is the conviction of Washington, who brings
a dramatic element that this film doesn't really deserve.
