ALONG CAME A SPIDER
SYNOPSIS:
A US senator's daughter, Megan Rose (Mika Boorem) is kidnapped by
criminal mastermind Gary Soneji (Michael Wincott). Soneji is not
out for ransom - his ambition is to be credited in history books
with the "crime of the century". Washington, D.C.
police detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross (Morgan
Freeman) is lured out of retirement and joins Secret Service
agent Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter) on the search for Soneji
the missing child.
Along Came A Spider is a professionally executed police
procedural given a touch of class by the presence of venerable
Morgan Freeman. Reprising the character he played in Kiss The
Girls (1997), Freeman (who also executive-produced) lends an
authority to material that might otherwise have played just as
well as a hard-edged cable movie. We trust Freeman wherever he
goes - as the smart detective in Seven or the American President
in Deep Impact - it's no different here as the reluctant Alex
Cross gets drawn into a case worthy of his deductive skills. He's
well-off for co-stars here, with Monica Potter convincing as the
Secret Service agent responsible for the girl's safety and
Michael Wincott oozing suitable menace as the bad guy with a
gravel voice Keith Richards would be proud of. Director Lee
Tamahori gives proceedings a polished look and extracts
reasonable tension considering we know who the villain is
straight away. Like me you might be jaded by too many brilliant
criminals being pursued by equally cluey cops who always seem to
spot that tiny corner of a photograph that busts the case wide
open. Along Came A Spider isn't top of its class but does its
primary job of keeping us intrigued until just about the end when
the obligatory triple-reverse, hard to believe climax arrives.
Even if it seems like we've seen it all before - the Dirty Harry
inspired ransom runaround scene being a case in point - it's
handled with enough precision on both sides of the camera to make
it worthwhile, if not essential viewing.
Richard Kuipers
From its suspenseful opening credits, Lee Tamahori’s tv
commercial-refined visual hand is evident (if that’s not too
obtuse a way of putting it) as this kidnap thriller streaks along
a high tension wire of action and character. Of course, in a
major, slickly made studio picture these days, character carries
less weight than the plot and the look, which perhaps explains
why pretty Monica Potter gets to play such a tough cookie. And an
implausible one, sad to say. We meet her as a Secret Service
Agent minding a Senator’s daughter at a posh school.
Dialogue references to her time there begin at five years and
shrink to three and finally to two as the film progresses. But
Potter is a fine actress and provides all she can within the
confines of a script that has problems beyond continuity, in the
occasional insult to our intelligence. I won’t instance the
biggest such example as it will give away a key plot point, but
suffice to say Potter’s character is just a device, with
little depth or credibility. Morgan Freeman, of course, carries
the burden of both plot and character, to involve us as much as
possible, which he does with consummate ease and professionalism.
Michael Wincott is a good baddie, and little Mika Boorem is a
terrific little star as the kidnapped kid. The upsides are a
great Jerry Goldsmith score, excellent cinematography, robust
direction that manages to lift the film to its genre-istic
heights, and – thanks to the original book - a basically
well constructed story with a couple of major twists.
Andrew L. Urban
Filled with breathtaking twists and revelations, Along Came a
Spider is a ripper of a good yarn and darned good entertainment
on all counts. There's action and tension from the very first
frames, when the stunning opening sequence immediately sets the
scene in this psychological thriller of substance. Lee Tamahori
has gathered a talented team, including first time screenplay
writer Marc Moss whose script is cohesive and intelligent,
allowing Morgan Freeman the opportunity to really shine. It's
about time this consummate actor was given the right showcase;
here in this superior sequel to Kiss the Girls, Freeman is the
pivot for the action. Just his presence elevates the film. In
fact he makes us feel as though it's a more complete work than it
may actually be. He affects a natural stillness and calmness that
promotes total confidence; he IS Alex Cross. We always feel that
Cross is a human being first and foremost – a detective
second. 'We do what we are' he says with ambiguity. We are
intrigued. The formula may not be new, but there are plenty of
surprises; my heart pounded throughout, never knowing in which
direction I would be taken. The cast is well balanced and Monica
Potter once again shows that she is far more than just a pretty
face. While she exudes a beauty-coated innocence, Potter is most
credible in this complex dramatic role. Although it would be easy
to pick some holes in the plot (wouldn't someone have noticed
Soneji's rubbery features over some years?), I was happy to be
totally immersed in the web, eager to be pulled in any which way.
Michael Wincott is well cast as Soneji, while Mika Boorem (Mel
Gibson's daughter in The Patriot) does a fine job as the young
kidnap-victim. It's non stop action from start to finish and
Jerry Goldsmith's relentless score pummels in time with our heart
beats. Thought provoking and gripping, there are enough elements
to engage throughout, while simultaneously watching the mastery
of Morgan Freeman at work.
Louise Keller
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SPECIAL STREAMING VIDEO PRESENTATION
TRAILER


ALONG CAME A SPIDER (MA)
(US)
CAST: Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott, Mika
Boorem, Penelope Ann Miller
DIRECTOR: Lee Tamahori
PRODUCER: David Brown, Joe Wizan
SCRIPT: Marc Moss, (based on novel by James Patterson)
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Matthew F. Leonetti
EDITOR: Nicolas De Toth, Neil Travis
MUSIC: Jerry Goldsmith, Mark Isham
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Ida Random
RUNNING TIME: 104 minutes
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: UIP
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE: August 16, 2001
VIDEO DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures Video
VIDEO RELEASE: January 18, 2002

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