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DVD Mystery-Suspense
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Written by Abbie Bernstein
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Tuesday, 25 September 2001 |
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title:
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Along Came a Spider |
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studio:
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Paramount Home Entertainment |
| MPAA rating: |
R (violence and language) |
| starring: |
Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott, Penelope Ann Miller
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| release year: |
2001 |
| film rating: |
Three Stars |
| sound/picture: |
Three Stars |
| reviewed by: |
Abbie Bernstein |
If you can get past some improbabilities, "Along Came a Spider" is a
pretty good thriller, with a riveting performance from star Morgan
Freeman and one genuinely startling plot twist. The film does suffer
from a common thriller-genre malady – it never fulfills its early
promise of acute psychological insight – but it’s fast-paced and
entertaining.
Freeman, reprising his Detective Alex Cross role from "Kiss the Girls,"
loses his partner under traumatic circumstances in the opening
sequence. Eight months later, he is jolted out of his guilt and grief
when he’s assigned to a high-profile kidnapping case – at the request
of the kidnapper (Michael Wincott), who has his own reasons for wanting
Cross on the case. Cross finds himself teamed with the self-blaming
Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) who had been assigned guard to the
kidnap victim, a resourceful little girl (Mika Boorem) who’s the
daughter of a U.S. senator.
Reportedly, in real life, senators’ children are not protected by the
Secret Service, but this detail works well enough in the universe of
"Along Came a Spider" for us to accept it. Lee Tamahori’s snappy
direction of the script by Marc Moss, based on James Patterson’s novel,
moves along at a speed that allows us to take quite a few things on
faith . Certainly Freeman, with his kindly, melancholy gravity, can
convince us that everything Cross does is real, necessary and
ultimately morally right. Most actors would come across like cartoon
superheroes if they even attempted to exude this kind of decency and
conviction, but Freeman makes it look as effortless and organic as
breathing. Potter is likable as the determined Jessie and Wincott
projects intelligence with just a hint of derangement. Boorem is
forthright and spunky without becoming cloying.
There are a number of big setpiece stunts in "Spider," along with some
intriguing sound effects. What seems to be a worrying systemic glitch
in Chapter 1 turns out to be a symphony of electronic surveillance
equipment, buzzing and clattering from various nicely separated spatial
locations. An onscreen voice distorter in Chapter 3 creates a crunchy
effect that momentarily overlaps into a little bit of Potter’s live
dialogue (a minor complaint, to be sure). The chapter also contains a
grand surround rain effect in all speakers that returns in Chapter 7.
Chapter 5 not only has good, punchy gunshots but an intriguing vertical
effect, with upstairs footsteps placed in the right main creating an
illusion of being above rather than beside the listener. Chapter 6 has
some very well-realized audio point of view effects, with continuing
sound that goes from normal volume to muffled and back again, depending
on whether we’re with the characters inside or outside. There’s also a
soft but startling directional gunshot in the right rear. Jerry
Goldsmith’s music score makes strong use of bass and horns, at times
reminiscent of his classic work on "Planet of the Apes."
The making-of featurette on "Along Came a Spider" is fairly standard,
but the feature’s ultra-widescreen aspect ratio is handsome and
provides rich visual depth. A film buff note: actress Boorem and Anton
Yelchin, the young actor playing her school chum here, are reteamed in
the current theatrical release "Hearts in Atlantis."
"Along Came a Spider" dips slightly once it moves past its crucial
surprise, with a finale that’s a touch anti-climactic. It’s never quite
as smart as both it and we wish it were, but the movie still delivers
old-fashioned moments of audience discovery and some good action, along
with the great pleasure of Freeman’s authoritative company. As
thrillers go, it’s worth watching.
| more details |
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sound format:
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English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround; English Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, French Dolby Surround |
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aspect ratio(s):
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Widescreen (no aspect ratio specified) |
| special features: |
Making-Of Featurette; Theatrical Trailer; Chapter Search; English Subtitles |
| comments: |
email us here... |
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| reference system |
| DVD player: |
Kenwood DV-403 |
| receiver: |
Kenwood VR-407 |
| main speakers: |
Paradigm Atom |
| center speaker: |
Paradigm CC-170 |
| rear speakers: |
Paradigm ADP-70 |
| subwoofer: |
Paradigm PDR-10 |
| monitor: |
27-inch Toshiba |
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