Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: A good cast and good director are largely wasted here due to a completely incoherent script. I have not read the James Patterson novel that it is based on, but I gather from other reviewers that it is radically different, and in ways that probably should have been retained in the film. This movie just left me scratching my head. No motivation for character's actions, incomphrensible police/forensic work, "plot twists" that come out of nowhere, etc. One of the worst -- the little kidnapped girl disappears from the kidnappers boat, but we are never told how this happens (she's locked in securely). Horrible CGI special effects that look cartoonish and totally phony.About all I can say positive is that Morgan Freeman and Michael Wincott, along with Monica Potter, Michael Moriarity and several other good actors, try valiantly to use talent and charisma to make SOMETHING of the material, but with a script this incoherent they didn't stand a chance. This is not even worth a rental, unless you are completely desperate on a rainy evening and there is absolutely nothing else to watch.
Rating: 
Summary: A 3.4 on a scale of 1 to5, some scary and fun moments
Review: "Along Came A Spider" can make a slow evening pass very quickly.
The plot centers on the kidnapping of a Senator's young daughter from her private school. The kidnapper then gets in touch with famed criminal psychologist Alex Delaware (Morgan Freeman)in an effort to impress him. Delaware has recently lost his partner due to a mistake on his part. To track down the kidnapper, he enlists the help of a beautiful young secret service agent (Monica Potter), who was stationed at the girl's school and is being blamed for the kidnapping. So both individuals are wounded from their past mistakes and anxious to succeed again.
The movie then follows the twists and turns of the duo's efforts to solve the kidnapping. Several plot twists near the end (which I won't go into so as not to ruin the viewing experience) vastly improve the movie. The actors are very strong: Morgan Freeman is particularly moving as Alex Delaware and the young actress who plays the kidnapping victim, Megan Ann Rose, is wonderful.
I would recommend this movie to those individuals who enjoy the thriller/mystery genre. While you certainly can find a better movie in this category, you also can find a number of poorer ones. And, once again, the twists are pretty good...
Rating:
Summary: What a Tangled Web!
Review: A kidnapped victim, a police detective in need of redemption, a rookie secret service agent in search of a mentor, a perverted villain: this movie has all the elements of a good psychological thriller. So why does it fail, so miserably? It's probably because the spider is so concerned with casting a complex web that it gets tangled in the process. In the middle of the movie, various plot twists lead the movie into a different direction that's not in the least bit compatible with its beginning. True, it makes the story unpredictable; it also makes the events in the story highly improbably, and the characters highly inconsistent. There are a few intense, dramatic moments, such as the scene where the police detective (played aptly by Morgan Freeman), aided by electronic tracing devices, attempts to deliver the ransom, following the kidnapper's cryptic instructions from one phone booth to another, with barely enough time to get from point A to point B. But that's about all that's redeeming in this movie. The rest of the movie is a complete nonsense. The smart cop commits a stupid error (by shooting and killing the only one person who can lead him to the victim); good cops reveal that they're not that good after all (but no convincing explanation is given). It seems to me this spider starts out as a kidnap-and-ransom thriller, then becomes a relationship drama (an experienced cop and a rookie developing an emotional, tactical codependency), but finally transforms into something about inevitable destiny ("You do what you are," announces the villain). Not even Freeman can untangle this messy web. This spider really bugs me--and not in a good way.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good, but not excellent.
Review: This film bears a great likeness to "Kiss the Girls" and "Double Jeopardy." It's very suspenseful and quite surprising. The plot takes a few twists throughout the film, making it easy to stay interested.
Morgan Freeman is great as his usual intellectual hero, and Monica Potter does well in this suspenseful drama/thriller. I'd reccommend it to anyone who like the two movies mentioned above or "Bone Collector."
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: The movie was good and Morgan Freeman was excellent as the star. However, I had just finished reading the book and was anxious to see the movie. Imagine my disappointment, when the movie did not even resemble the book in the slightest way. Do yourself a favor, and read the book! You won't be disappointed. I am surprised that James Patterson would allow a total change of his plot.
Rating:
Summary: an enjoyable diversion
Review: I took a chance on this movie because it stars Morgan Freeman and my experience is that he is a good, reliable actor. That opinion was not challenged by his performance in "Along Came a Spider". This movie starts out with a bang and doesn't slow down much after that. The plot gets a little complicated at times and I'm not sure I can tell you why everything that happened did happen. However, the action and the twists and turns make this an enjoyable two hours. It suffers somewhat by the typical thriller complaints; everything had to happen just so in order for the events to unfold the way they were planned to. There was a lot relying on the right split-second decisions being made and, with children involved, correctly predicting their moves at the right time. My kids complain that I always ruin a good movie by pointing out the improbabilities of various plot directions. Thus I will not belabor the point here. With that in mind I think that this is a movie that has plenty of action with a somewhat cerebral plot. If you enjoy that type of movie you will enjoy this one as well. I would give it a 3 1/2 but it falls short of a higher rating.
Rating: 
Summary: Read the Book
Review: I first read the early 90's and was looking forward to seeing this film, only to be dissappointed. I had to re-read the book after seeing it. The only things taken from the book are the names and the title. The book fleshes out the character of Gary Soneji. The movie not only does the movie keep Soneji character in the background but they kill him off at the end. Fans of the Alex Cross books know that Soneji is in two other books after this one. If you haven't read the book, you will enjoy the movie. My advice is to read the book. It is a lot more suspenseful than the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Throw the second half out the window
Review: Aside from the opening car crash sequence that looked like something out of an arcade game, the first half of this movie was going somewhere. The plot was surprising and interesting. Morgan Freeman's dialogue was fun and worth watching. Michael Wincott plays an excellent villian (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo) and he was going somewhere with this one. Toward the middle though, the solid movie became mush. Monica Potter delivered one of the worst acting performances that I have ever seen. She is not as bad as Keanu Reeves, but she is close to his equal (as a woman). Anyway, the "surprise ending" was not much of a surprise. It you watch this movie and get into the first half, turn it off halfway through and you'll be satisfied, wanting more. If you keep watching though, you'll be unsatisfied, wishing that you hadn't waisted your time. It's not worth it. Its R rating reflects violence and a few cuss words. For a good Morgan Freeman detective flick, definitely see Seven instead.
Rating:
Summary: Brainless but entertaining film
Review: One thing viewers must keep in mind is that this film is pretty much NOTHING like the novel. There is no character development, they've turned Gary Soneji into an idiot, and many of the events have been changed or omitted. What's left? "Along Came a Spider" is an entertaining movie that won't challenge you or even keep you guessing, but it is certainly an entertaining movie that will keep you occupied for an hour and forty minutes.
Rating: 
Summary: Black Widow!!
Review: I really liked this movie. It had a great story line about a man who had planned a kidnapping based on the Lindberg baby kidnapping. The setting took place in a private school for children with well-to-do parents in the public eye. Morgan Freeman was the lead detective on this case. He was as good in this movie as he was in Seven. Monica Potter was a secret service agent assigned to the area where the kidnapping eventually took place. Throughout the movie, she blames herself countless times for missed opportunities and such. Her character will pull herself together though for she is has a plan and know exactly what she is doing. I gave this movie 5 stars, because of the plot twists and the surprise ending. It was definitely NOT expected.
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