Along Came A Spider [2001]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
After an obligatory prologue in which its detective hero suffers a tragic professional setback, Along Came a Spider (based on the James Patterson novel) sets about its business of luring the viewer into its nefarious plot, relying on the magician's technique of misdirection to reveal a double-whammy surprise. The clever, late-coming plot twist is a bit too mechanical but effectively unexpected, making this a satisfying prequel to the hit thriller Kiss the Girls--based on the first) of Patterson's Alex Cross detective novels--and a welcomed addition to a promising movie franchise. It's no better or worse than a good vintage episode of Peter Falk's Columbo, adhering closely to the mystery-thriller's time-honoured traditions, but with Morgan Freeman settling comfortably into his role as seasoned sleuth Alex Cross, familiar formula is given fresh vitality. When a senator's daughter is kidnapped from her high-security private school, the kidnapper (nicely played by the underrated Michael Wincott) draws Cross into the case, knowing that the psychologist-detective's involvement will bring high-profile publicity. Cross partners with the Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) who botched her assignment, but wait... the movie's got a rabbit in its hat and that rabbit has an ace up its sleeve. Director Lee Tamahori (who brought similar intensity to The Edge) handles the sleight-of-hand with slick precision, dispensing just enough information to keep the viewer off guard without resorting to cheap manipulation. Don't look for much depth of character here, but Along Came a Spider is well served by everyone involved. It's the movie equivalent of a bestseller you'd impulsively buy at the grocery-store checkout, and on those terms it succeeds. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

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Customer reviews

review by: HJ85 date: 2008-06-08 rating:
Nothing like the book
After reading along came a spider I though I'd invest in the film. Not one of my best buys. Although the film itself is good, this is nothing like the book and is therefore a bit of a letdown. Morgan Freeman was a good choice as Alex Cross and he potrays him well. But the film is nothing like the book so it only gets 2 stars from me.

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review by: A soul doctor, so to say date: 2008-05-28 rating:
Maybe slightly too simple
The film is rather simple but it works. And it works not because of the kidnapping of the child. Not because of the pathos that comes along with such a case all the time, every time. Not because of the failed attempt of the girl to escape. Not because of the child's father's over-reacting. It works because the plot is too simple to be accepted like that. A solitary man could not have planned and realized that plot in Washington DC, with the Russian security services looking after the son of the Ambassador and the secret service working there full time in that private school. Too much security in that school for such a kidnapping to have been done by only one person. Then there must have been accomplices and that's how the film works because we do not know who he or she or they is or are and we are looking out for the clues, for the punch line, for the final and supreme plotter. And that's just what it is all about, one plotter double-crossing the other or the others, or even maybe three tiers instead of just two, and maybe even four tiers, and we are double-crossed in a magnificent way just the very same way the profiling cop is double-crossed in a very standard way. The profiler is profiled by the criminal and then side-tracked because when you know the profile of the profiler the profiler becomes predictable and then inefficient, impotent. So that helps to take the medicine down indeed, even if the girl survives only because the criminals did not do one thing right, only one thing, one single and unique thing. It only takes one mistake for the best adventures to fail. Just find out which thing and who.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

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review by: SRW date: 2007-09-19 rating:
DON'T PUT THE KETTLE ON
Had me gripped from start to finish. James Patterson, the author, has written several Alex Cross stories and only one other (Kiss the girls) has been made into a film as far as i know. Let's hope they do more.

Morgan Freeman plays Alex Cross in this really fast paced thriller, which has a great mix of action and suspence. You really want to see this one.

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review by: misterjingo date: 2007-03-14 rating:
Great if you haven't read the book
Firstly, this is not a bad film in and of itself. Morgan Freeman makes a great Alex Cross and the story is quite interesting. I was looking forward to watching this after thoroughly enjoying the book it is based on, and that is where my mistake lay. The book is a fantastic, harrowing tale, but the film removes most of the interesting elements and gives us a lacklustre ending.
What made me give it 1 star is knowing what an amazing film this *could* have been if it had stuck more closely to the book.



review by: Chiclanero date: 2007-03-04 rating:
Twists and turns from start to finish.
Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) locks himself away after the death of his partner for which he blames himself, until he is "invited" to solve another case by the guilty party no less. Freeman plays the role in a cool, systematic style that we have become accustomed to with this character. For me the 2 "stars" of the film are Monica Potter as the Special Agent and Michael Wincott as the villain who seems an absolute natural for this and other similar parts.Does Cross save the day? That would be telling but this is a good drama in the who-dunnit style and will keep you guessing until the very end.

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