Rating: 
Summary: Curds and whey on film
Review: "Detective" films can be traps for the unwary. A particular role can overwhelm the story, or the story can be so convoluted as to leave the actors no room to maneuver. Spider comes closer to the second option. The film's plot concerns the kidnapping of a Senator's daughter from a high tone prep school. There are Secret Service types all over the place [including one in background reading a magazine, which is hilarious in itself], and the one in charge, Monica Potter, roundly berates herself for failing to prevent the snatch. The kidnapper, who's not a child abuser, has taken the kid in a bid to match wits with Morgan Freeman, "perp" analyst Alex Cross. Can the kidnapper keep Mika Boorem alive and well, while crossing psychic swords with Freeman yet still pull this caper off? Will Freeman make a pass at Potter to salve the loss of his partner?It's both fascinating and depressing to watch how one performer of style and class can nearly redeem an inadequately structured film. In Spider, Morgan Freeman, who has a full payload of both, is in a position to keep this film together, but isn't allowed to do it. In his role, Freeman must be able to weave tenuous threads to create personality profiles in narrowing down suspect lists. While there's little doubt Freeman could portray such a role with ease, we aren't really allowed to watch the process unfold in Spider. Director Tamahori, however, is too busy weaving his own threads. In Tamahori's hands, James Patterson's novel becomes a jerky sequence of thinly connected scenarios. The plot, which is full of wonderful surprises, follows multiple paths. Like any spider's web, they only meet at the centre after some rather bouncy progress. Boorem makes a praiseworthy effort to steal the film with her escape attempts. Potter is fetching enough to distract from her mediocre acting. Michael Wincott as the kidnapper might have been an excellent foil for Freeman, but the story won't let him. The story won't let any one individual become outstanding. On the other hand, the film is too short to let the story develop fully. We are left with a tantalizing result: a plot rich with promise, but too sketchy in its presentation, and actors who might have given award-winning performances had they been given the opportunity to develop the characters. It's a shame, but you can't award stars for the things that didn't happen. Like so many detective films, there are numerous details that intrude on credibility. How the kidnapper prepared for the snatch is easily the most astounding. His "hideout" was positioned solely to create a crisis. If he's intelligent enough to read and understand Cross' books, his blunders are inexcusable. Without giving away the ransom payoff, someone please explain how the material was to be disposed of without detection. What steps does Freeman take to work out who the villain is? These quirks catch the viewer's attention, distracting from the film's value and the protagonists' performance. The film is easily worth a viewing or two, but to buy it? It's your money . . .
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Fantastic!!!
Review: I am not hard to please. I loved this movie. The only part that I found kind of "bad" was the car flip at the beginning. It is one of the fakest special effects I have ever seen in a film. However, I do not dwell on it. I like to think of the good things. Morgan Freeman has got to be one of the greatest actors of all time. He delivers a very believable, and quite captivating, performance as Alex Cross. This movie is a must for all Freeman fans. His character is very admirable in the way he is able to figure how what are seemingly unsolvable mysteries. Another good thing about this movie is the eeriness and suspense. Just watch the scene where Alex Cross tries to solve the "Missing Picture" piece of the puzzle. That has to be one of the creepiest scenes I have ever seen! And even before that, when they are walking around the crime scene in the embassy, and there is silence (no score at all), it creates this feeling of mystery and spookiness. And of course, as I do with all my movie reviews, I am going to comment on the original score. Jerry Goldsmith was the perfect choice. Sure, it's nowhere near his most original compositions and surprisingly simple, but is still effective. Watch the scene mentioned above and pay attention to how the score makes it work (as well as Morgan Freeman). You should also get the album as well! The mentioned cue is not included though.
Rating:
Summary: The Spider Web that gets you tangled in Mystery...
Review: Along Came A Spider was the best thriller of 2001. The opening scene with the car crash may have been a little fake, but it was sad. Morgan Freeman returns as Dr. Alex Cross, doing yet another unbelieveable performance. Monica Potter makes her character, Jezzie Flannigan, seem absolutely real. These two great actors both work well together on screen. Their conversations seem to pull you in. The action makes your nails bleed because you bite them so hard. I dont want to give away to much away so I hoped this helped you.
Rating: 
Summary: Contrived
Review: Morgan Freeman has developed such screne prescence that he is able to make any film notworthy. This film however struggles to make a lot of sense, and limps along despite him being in the starring role. It is set in a sort of phantasy world of super criminals and heroic police. A senators daughter is kidnapped by someone who has devoted most of his life to working up to this crime. He is not interested in a ransom but rather in being respected by the Freeman character. All simply nonsense of course. Again the villian seems to have worked as a teacher for some years, not a high paying job but one that has allowed him to collect such assets that he can hide out in boats and mystery houses. It also strains credability that he has been a teacher for over a year wearing a rubber face mask. One should not give away the plot developments of the second half of the film, but in reality they stretch what is believable to the point that a film which starts out as fantasy moves into another dimension of hyper fantasy. The difficulty with such films is that as they become so contrived they lose the ability to manipulate the audience. A flim works if you feel for the victims, if the villians appear original or grab your imagination, if the main characters seem to do something right. In this film the villian appears to be a moron, the victim precocious and the solving of the crime artificial. An okay way to fill in a couple of hours but a film that is pretty much forgetable except for the dumb bits which stay with you for weeks after.
Rating:
Summary: Morgan Freeman is underused.
Review: Not just here but everywhere.
Here is one of our finest actors and hardly anyone watched.
Granted the script was pretty paint by numbers from the book..and it didn't show a wide range of acting. Attention must be paid. Maybe if we sit through all the mediocrity...someone will write him something fabulous.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Like The Book
Review: I did myself a injustice by reading the book and then watching the movie. To me, the movie was nothing like the book. The only thing that coincided was the title and the storyline(somewhat). I realize that some things have to be left out when a movie is made from a book. But come on, you don't have to rewrite the story. It just didn't fit. The movie itself was good had I not read the book first. If you've read the book, the movie will be a disappointment! If you haven't read the book, then don't, just see the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful Movie
Review: I really enjoyed this movie. It was very thrilling and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire movie. It's a great movie to watch at night if you want a good thrill.
Rating:
Summary: Skip it!
Review: If you've seen Kiss the Girls, You've seen this. Do something else with your two hours,
For the bed ridden only.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: twisting and turning giving you a surprise at every corner, great thriller
Rating: 
Summary: read the book instead
Review: You may think that this movie is good, and has a creative plot, but if you read the book then see the movie, you will be very disappointed. the ending is completly different; it comes off like they just got sick of making the movie to they ended as fast as they could. Another I dont like about this is that Morgan Freeman plays Alex Cross, in an official book review, he is compared to Denzel Wshington...no offence to Freeman, but he's no Denzel. If you think that this movie is remotely good, read the book and you will love it.
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