The airport-pulp of crime novelist James Patterson has kept
a steady readership for many years, with a short-lived and somewhat forgotten
theatrical life as well. In the fallout
of serial killer thrillers left in the wake of “Silence of the Lambs”, “Kiss
the Girls” was released in 1997 as Patterson’s first film adaptation. In 2001 “Along Came a Spider” followed suit,
both starring Morgan Freeman as the detective/psychologist, Dr. Alex
Cross. Now, more than a decade later,
“Alex Cross”, based on the twelfth in Patterson’s book series, has been
released in an attempt to reboot this hibernating literary property.
In this
adaptation, Tyler Perry—yes, that
Tyler Perry—is now filling Freeman’s shoes in the titular role. Playing opposite of him is Mathew Fox--AKA
doctor Jack Shephard from television’s “LOST”—as a mastermind serial killer. If
neither of these casting choices sound even the least bit convincing, than you
might find this movie as perplexing and misguided as I did.
What
takes place over the course of “Alex Cross” is your basic procedural thriller
set-up. A sadistic killer, who known as Picasso by the police force because of
the coded charcoal drawings he leaves at each crime scene *sigh*, is passing
through Detroit’s upper class and knocking them off in strange and torturous
ways. Cross and his partners in detecting follow the killer’s breadcrumb trail
to his next target, and in almost capturing him they inadvertently get put on
his hit-list. Soon the hunters become the hunted and they must capture the
psychotic mercenary before he kills them or their loved ones, as well as find
out who it was hired who hired someone to murder Detroit’s elite in the
first-place.
This
film was directed by Rob Cohen, the man who has brought us other cinematic
fast-food meals like “XXX”, “Stealth” and “The Fast and Furious”. What he brings to the table here is a pedestrian
thriller, stunted by shoddy action directing, hilariously wooden dialogue, and
two bizarre central performances. The
movie sprints and drags throughout its running time, fluctuating from love
scenes, to torture scenes, to talky scenes where practically every word out of
every characters mouth is expository.
When we finally do arrive to an action scene, Cohen’s camera is pushed
so far into the fists and elbows of the fight, that the PG-13 violence is
unclear and leaves much to be desired.
The
stunt casting of Fox and Perry is unfortunately a huge distraction. Tyler Perry wants so badly to be forgotten as
Medea and Mathew Fox wants so badly to be taken seriously as a cinematic actor,
that both of their performances reek of desperation. Fox especially comes off a
bit too overpowering, as he devours each scene with butter and sower cream in an
achingly showy portrayal. Not helping is
the cheesy TV-Movie script they have to work with. To their defense, they both do well enough—surprisingly
Perry has his moments—that you can tell that they could possibly be used
effectively under the discernment of a better, more tasteful director.
With
all of its glaring problems aside, “Alex Cross” is bad but it’s not
unwatchable. Mostly, it’s just boring. This is type of paint-by-numbers genre
work that you see in your average episode of “Law and Oder: SVU”, “Criminal
Minds” or any iteration of “CSI”. It
takes no chances and it has no surprises but it fulfills the bare minimum of
what it’s asked. I can’t imagine anyone
being impressed by this film, but Rob Cohen is the type of hack who gets paid
to make easily digestible junk that will adequately pass the time. Let’s just
say, low expectations can only help this movie.
Grade: C-
Originally published in the Idaho State Journal/Oct-2012
Originally published in the Idaho State Journal/Oct-2012
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