Of late, I have notice not many Hollywood suspense thrillers being released for past 3-4 months, in fact, Star Movies and HOB are showing much better movies than the new releases.
Last weekend while visiting a family friend got an opportunity to watch a suspense thriller named "The Bone Collector". It seemed that he had got it downloaded from some Torrent website that might be offering movies for download. And later on he burnt it on a CD in Divx format.
The movie has a interesting plot with lot of puzzle solving in order to track down the murderer and prevent another killing from happening.
The director Phillip Noyce directs this thriller based on a novel by Jeffrey Deaver. The drama revolves around a serial killer’s cat-and-mouse game with the police and his re-creation of crimes from the turn of the century. Besides this the casting is also interesting; in the lead are actors Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. The movie revolves around these two trying to prevent and nab the killer; and reach a stage where the puzzle ends at the climax and the killer it taken to task.
Cast:
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Lincoln Rhyme - Denzel Washington
Amelia Donahgy - Angelina Jolie
Thelma(Nurse) - Queen Latifa
Capt. Howard Cheney - Michael Rooker
Audiance Viewing: R-rated( Violence and Killing)
The Bone Collector starts off strong, with a healthy mix of suspense, humour, gore, and violence, but falters towards the end as it becomes too contrived(which does result in a lot of(unintentional) humour but doesn’t serve well as an intense action flick).
The Movie opens up with a yellow taxi stalking the streets of Manhattan, picking up unsuspecting passengers on a one-way trip to the morgue. In the beginning one comes to understand that it is about abduction and killing by a psychopath who is no ordinary and knows more about forensics.
The Plot:
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Lincoln Rhyme(Denzel Washington) is a forensic homicide detective works from his bed who was paralyzed from the neck down during a rescue operation, except for his ability to move one finger. He is still in active duty, and his medical care is paid for by his insurance company(part of which includes an elaborate computer setup to counteract his inability to move). He is taken care by a Live-in Nurse, Thelma(Queen Latifa). He is consulted on a case where a serial killer in New York City is mutilating his victims in grotesque manner and leaving behind clues as to the location of his next kill.
Amelia Donaghy(Angelina Jolie) is a beat cop with built-in instincts for the same line of work, Forensics.She has a past that reminds her of her father’s suicide and the reality that tell her about the life of a cop surrounded with crime everywhere.
Unable to work the crime scenes in the field, Rhyme(Denzel Washington) calls on Amelia Donaghy(Angelina Jolie). She found the first body, to assist him with the investigation. Despite her lack of formal training in forensic science, Rhyme is reasonably assured of Donaghy’s abilities given the quick thinking she displayed in preserving the first crime scene from an oncoming train and the elements.Together they’re on the trail of a clever serial killer.
Bound by their common goal to find the taxicab killer, the veteran and the rookie form a symbiotic relationship in which his wisdom and experience are complemented by her powers of observation and tenacity. However, the benefits of their relationship soon extend beyond their professional duties- he provides her the self-confidence and support to conquer her personal demons, while she gives him a reason to overcome his worst fears about his debilitating condition.
As they work together, they quickly discover that there is a purpose and design to the seemingly random killings, and that they are part of a gruesome game that has only just begun.
The killer has a purpose and a motive in each killing wherein he leaves a trace/clue about the next killing that will happen.The killer is merciless and rips off bone of the victims is small shapes that actually helps Lincoln(Denzel) to club together the puzzle. But they are always one step behind and are too late to save victims from boiled alive by steam or eaten alive by rats. All this leads to a decent build up of suspense as the true identity, and the motives, of the killer are slowly revealed to us.
Whose the Killer . someone known to the main character of the movie? What is the Motive?
Scenes to watch for:
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- Angelina searching for the victim, in this case a female passenger, who is still alive and crying for help. The Scene is of a underground Pipeline where she is tied to a cast iron piller, facing a Steam releasing pipe.
- The RATS approaching the Victim, a young Male. The blood oozing from his thumb and the bone being cutoff from the hand.
- The Rescue operation at the Jetty of New York Harbor where a old man and his grand daughter are saved and the killer escapes.
- Denzel, solving the puzzle with the last piece of bone and getting the overall picture of Crime & Motive.
Verdict:
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The best aspects of "The Bone Collector" lie in the characterizations and relationships between the main characters. Denzel and Angelina are two strong characters whose strengths and weaknesses play well off each other, and their scenes together exude an uncommon chemistry. Though Washington spends most of the film sitting in a bed with only the use of one finger and his head to’act’, he is still able to deliver a commanding presence with his expressive performance and accomplished articulation. Jolie, who usually radiates sensuality in her roles, displays excellent range as a spirited yet apprehensive young woman thrust into disquieting circumstances The killings are performed in a novel and hideous manner and the scenes can be disturbing at times.
The ending is where The Bone Collector fails the most: Rhyme(Denzel Washington) is paralysed from the neck down, but yet he is almost able to hold his own against a vicious killer. Also, the more intense confrontational scenes are way over-the-top and degenerate into humourous ones.
Overall, if you like suspense/thriller, I would suggest this flick of 1999 for its plot and the professional chemistry between the two strong characters of the movie. A character of Angelina quite different from her sensual character of her other movies.