BEFORE: I've taken a look at what's left on my list, in this post-Letterman world, and unfortunately it's going to be something of a mish-mash from here on out. I've got a few films on serial killers, some political films, comedies, heists, romantic dramas, historical dramas, boxing films, documentaries, time-travel films, animations and alien invasions. Sure, Halloween and Christmas may lend things some structure, but other than that, I may not spend more than two days on any particular topic. Same thing with actors - other than week-long tributes to Jack Lemmon and Matthew McConnaughey, no one's going to be taking up long residences around here. Tonight, John C. McGinley carries over from "42", and I'm back on crime films for two days.
Unfortunately, I'm also at the tipping point for Year 8, with 160 films left on the list and 160 viewing slots left in 2015. Every film I add at this point pushes me further into 2016 - I guess it's always been that way, but when the numbers prove it, I have to concede that if I want to truly finish, it's going to take much longer than I planned, assuming I can ever call this finished. Again, the numbers would help, and if the watchlist could help me out by getting down to zero, that would be a great indication that it's time to stop.
THE PLOT: A homicide detective is pushed to the brink of his moral and physical limits as he tangles with a ferociously skilled serial killer who specializes in torture and pain.
AFTER: The last time I saw Alex Cross, it was way back in 2009 when I watched "Kiss the Girls" and "Along Came a Spider" - and then the character was older and played by Morgan Freeman. So either they've jumped back in time to show us one of his earlier adventures, or they've decided to reboot the character, which is all the rage these days, by just casting a younger actor and hoping that people don't ask too many questions about the process. Jeez, at least the "Star Trek" franchise had the courtesy to use time-travel to create an alternate timeline to explain away any pesky continuity mistakes.
For example, if we're flashing back to early in Alex Cross' career, why does the killer have such technically-forward devices, like electronic gear that help him take control of an elevated train, or things that can launch bombs when his hands are full? So I guess that supports the reboot theory, but we're never really sure if this is a serial killer or an urban terrorist, because I think those are two very different animals. But not knowing the killer's motivation for most of the film is a huge drawback.
Yet, the police team all acts like profilers, and they claim this guy has a pattern. "He's working his way up the chain." OK, care to explain, or at least consider showing the chain to the audience? If there's a pattern, how come the police can see it, but I can't? And he soon gets personal by targeting people close to the police, so how is that part of the pattern? He can't go off message and work his way up the chain at the same time.
Similarly, Alex Cross is supposed to be like some kind of modern-day Sherlock Holmes - but with Holmes, they always told the audience how he figured things out through observation and deduction. If you don't show the work, it's much easier for me to believe that the screenwriter just skipped to the result and couldn't find a way to explain how he knew what he knew. Alex's partner correctly guesses that Alex will know that he's sleeping with another member of the team, but how did he get there? I guess maybe when he picked him up at her apartment? Not sure, but a little help on the clues would have been appreciated.
For a movie that seems so by-the-numbers, it's a shame that things also didn't seem to add up. It almost felt like there were scenes missing, because at least one key moment happened completely off-camera. You can't just go from A to Z without showing me all the steps in-between.
Also starring Tyler Perry (last seen in "Star Trek"), Matthew Fox (last seen in "World War Z"), Edward Burns (last seen in "Friends With Kids"), Jean Reno (last seen in "Rollerball"), Rachel Nichols, Carmen Ejogo (last seen in "The Brave One"), Cicely Tyson (last seen in "The Help"), Giancarlo Esposito.
RATING: 4 out of 10 charcoal sketches
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