Review: Taking Lives (**)

TAKING LIVES
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): **


What do you get when you cross the director of THE SALTON SEA with the star
of BEYOND BORDERS? TAKING LIVES, a needlessly sloppy thriller that plays
like SE7EN LITE. Slackly paced, it works best in its few action sequences
and in those moments when it tricks the audience into jumping. Most of the
time, however, the movie is nauseatingly predictable. Angelina Jolie plays
Illeana, an FBI Special Agent assigned to help a reluctant team of Montreal
cops in a serial killer investigation. When they start cracking bad jokes
about her breasts, in French so that she won't understand them, you can see
the scene coming a mile away in which she proves to speak fluent French.



The cops' first break in the case occurs when a Good Samaritan named Costa
(Ethan Hawke) almost stops the killer before he gets away. Although Costa
is an initial suspect, Illeana has seventeen reasons that would make
Sherlock Holmes proud about why it absolutely and positively couldn't be
Costa. The prime suspect is a shadowy figure played by PHONE BOOTH's
shooter, Kiefer Sutherland. But maybe it's one of the cops, or perhaps
it'll be a character who comes out of left field. If you don't easily
figure out the killer's identity, you're not watching nearly enough
detective fiction.



Every now and then the dialog gets nicely snappy, as when Costa remarks to
the police, "Have you ever been fishing? Well, the bait always dies." Most
of the time, however, the lines are such standard fare as, "Nice guys never
get the girl." Jolie, who plays her character with all of the warmth and
emotion of a slab of stone, does pant well in her one obligatory sex scene.



One thing is certain, if the police in Montreal are this inconsistent and
lackadaisical, you might want bring your own bodyguards if you visit there.
They don't like to call for back up, and, when guarding a victim targeted by
a psychopath, they think hanging out in the street, while the target is
alone in the apartment upstairs, is sufficient coverage. And one guard is
plenty.



The ending is literally laughably bad on several levels. It also has a
horrendous moment in it, which is certain to make audiences squeamish and
angry. Most of all, TAKING LIVES is just frustrating. Well shot and
containing many entertaining moments, it is consistently undermined by its
careless script and by Jolie's emotional detachment from the material.



TAKING LIVES runs 1:50. It is rated R for "strong violence including
disturbing images, language and some sexuality" and would be acceptable for
older teenagers.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, March 19, 2004.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC and the Century
theaters.



Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com

Email:



************************************************** *********************



Want free reviews and weekly movie and video recommendations via Email?

Just send me a letter with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.