The Bone Collector (1999)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Director

Phillip Noyce

Country

USA | Canada

Cast

Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, Mike McGlone, Luis Guzmán, John Benjamin Hickey, Bobby Cannavale, Ed O'Neil, Leland Orser

Plot

When a badly mutilated corpse is discovered by policewoman Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), quadriplegic ex-homicide detective Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is asked to investigate the case. At first he refuses, but when he takes a close look at the evidence, he is intrigued and tries to track down the serial killer with the help of the young policewoman.

Opinion

The Bone Collector is a way too much pretentious film that fails pretty much on everything. 

Looks like the film is trying to imitate Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window - in this case Denzel Washington plays James Stewart, and Angelina Jolie plays Grace Kelly - and, at the same time, David Fincher's Seven. The result is a too weak plot and some ridiculous parts. 

A huge issue - or mistake - with this film is the serial killer. As I am in the process of writing a mystery novel, I learned that there are several things the story must have to be good. One of those things - the most important in my opinion - is being able to lead the audience into finding out who the killer is. This film totally fails in that. I would have bet the killer was a cop - one in particular but I won't spoiler - but at the end is just some guy barely shown in the film with a weak motive. 

The fighting scene is the queen of ridiculousness: the serial killer, which is so smart to elaborate perfect murders, can't beat a quadriplegic man.

Denzel Washington does a very good job as the paralyzed cop. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about Angelina Jolie: she looks bored the whole time. The supporting cast helps a lot, with great performance from Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker and Ed O'Neil.

Quotes

Lincoln Rhyme: Destiny is what we make it.