To be honest, this wasn't a completely bad movie. It's a very typical and standard, run of the mill, crime thriller, involving a homicide detective that is hunting down a professional serial killer.

Perhaps this movie suffered from too high expectations or hopes but it really isn't one that does an awful lot wrong. But then again, it also isn't exactly one that's doing anything too amazing, surprising or original. It still remains perfectly watchable all, especially for those who are fond of these type of crime thrillers.

Thing that makes this movie a very bland and easy to forget one though is that it isn't a very involving movie. You don't ever really get into any of the characters or emotions of the movie and you most likely won't feel grabbed by the movie its story neither. It's not just because it's being something very standard all but also because of its somewhat lacking execution.

The movie was having some serious pacing issues at times and the movie seemed to be lacking a good buildup to certain moments. You could say that the movie is being too slow and meaningless at certain times and too fast at others. It glosses over a lot of things with its story, making this a mostly ineffective movie to watch.

Another thing I don't really like about the movie is the way it handles its villain. He is supposed to be a very experienced and calculated killer but yet all of this plans seem to be hanging together by coincidences and it just doesn't ever make any sense why he is after Alex Cross in the first place, right until the very end, which is a pretty standard and formulaic 'twist' for the movie though.

And really, it's not like Tyler Perry is a horrible pick for the movie its lead but it's definitely true that his acting makes him more suitable for playing secondary characters, or sidekicks if you will. And that's how his role feels like; it feels like you're watching a second rate actor playing a first rate role. It doesn't feel right and it lets the main character come across as a very uninteresting and lifeless one. But while he is not right for the role, he is not the main reason why the movie and its main character doesn't ever work out quite as well as intended. Blame the formulaic writing and standard directing approach for that instead!

It really is far from the worst thing you'll ever see but it's nothing to get very excited about neither.

6/10

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After Washington DC detective Alex Cross is told that a family member has been murdered, he vows to track down the killer. He soon discovers that she was not his first victim and that things are not what they seem. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Rob Cohen

Starring: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Rachel Nichols and others

Current release date: October 19, 2012

(Review originally written at 20 October 2006)

Perhaps the most anticipated and talked about movie of 2006, by both positive and bashing negative parties (mostly from religious persons). Controversy had always surrounded this movie and the book it was based on. It's such a shame that some people just can't separate fact from fiction and just take the movie for what it is; good intelligent entertainment. Judging by its style and directing this movie was clearly not made to shock or offend but to purely entertain.

And for the unbiased open minded person this is surely an entertaining movie to watch. It was not as slow or boring is I had heard and expected. The movie is definitely fast paced and features lots of thrilling moments.

The movie its story had definitely enough potential to make this one of the best movies of 2006 but yet it isn't. The story tries to tell too much and often goes to deep into certain aspects which certainly doesn't help to make this movie the most pleasant or easiest one to watch. The story also takes lot for granted and goes to deep with its theories which isn't always good for the realism of the movie. It overall also makes the movie too long which makes it hard to keep interest for its entire duration.

The movie has a good style and quick pace, with some good editing and moody camera-work and a great perfectly suiting Hans Zimmer soundtrack. The directing is also good when for most part but yet you can tell that thriller/mystery just isn't Ron Howard's genre. The movie doesn't always flow well enough. My advice to him would be to just stick to drama's and comedies, were his true talent lies. Guess Howard really wasn't the right guy for this job.

Lots of fine actors are also wasted in the movie. The movie lies its emphasis on the story and therefor too often forgets about its character that become at times a secondary element in the movie. The movie does really lack a solid main character. It's not that Tom Hanks is of course an horrible actor and it's not like he's miscast in the movie, like most people say he is, his character just isn't always likable or understandable enough. Ian McKellen's role is too limited, as he is introduced too late into the movie. So is Jürgen Prochnow in a very small role and Alfred Molina, who's character had way more potential than was eventually used.

Yet the movie remains a perfectly watchable one that is also more entertaining than you'll perhaps would expect. The movie features more than enough interesting and mysterious elements to keep you interest in the story until the end. The story features lots of imaginative and fascinating elements, the book by Dan Brown on which this movie is based is not a world wide success for no reason. Too bad that in the end the movie does not live up to the book it's success or brilliance and it doesn't quite meet expectations.

It's some good intelligent entertainment but it's just not one of those movies people will still talk about in 10 years from now, I would reckon.

7/10

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