Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: Alex Cross

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Alex Cross - Review

Alex Cross
(2012)
Action | Crime | Mystery
1 hr. 41 min.

Rated: PG13 Violence, Nudity, Disturbing Images, Language, Drug References and Sexual Content What parents need to know
Grade: C-

Director: Rob Cohen
Writers: Marc Moss (screenplay), Kerry Williamson (novel 'Cross'), James Patterson
Stars: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox and Rachel Nichols | See full cast and crew

Alex Cross follows the young homicide detective/psychologist (Tyler Perry), from the worldwide best-selling novels by James Patterson, as he meets his match in a serial killer (Matthew Fox). The two face off in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, but when the mission gets personal, Cross is pushed to the edge of his moral and psychological limits in this taut and exciting action thriller. -- (C) Lionsgate

I admit I have never read a James Patterson novel, so I came in with no preconception for this film. I was eager to see Tyler Perry do something other than his Madea characters. Critics have been extremely harsh on everyone involved in this film. I didn't love the movie but hate it either.

It is a very formulaic serial killer movie, but then I am assuming that would be the case with most of Patterson's novels. He does seem to churn them out with the regularity of a conveyor belt. How could they not be formulaic? The question is can a script be artfully crafted and directed with competent actors and production personnel into something that we just enjoy and don't get hung up on the formula. Does Alex Cross accomplish that goal...well, no, not really. Do you enjoy the plethora of crime dramas on TV?

If you do you will probably be satisfied with Alex Cross. I must admit that I was very often distracted by blatant product placement (mostly GM cars) and by the host city...Detroit, what a disgrace! To see the skeletal remains of a once great city brought to the edge of the open grave by an unholy alliance of greedy union bullying and socialist philosophy looting. It is simply mind boggling, but that is and entirely different discussion for another time. Meanwhile back at the theater, if I found myself drifting off on such tangents then I guess the filmmakers came up a bit short of accomplishing their goals.

Tyler Perry is, I guess, OK as Alex Cross but I found myself awestruck at the banality of his 'profiling' monologues, certainly the script isn't meaty enough for any real character development beyond general stereotypes. Incidentally, while we're speaking of stereotypes, when is someone going to find Cicely Tyson a role for which she worthy? In this film she is reduced to playing the stereotypical stern, one dimensional, sage black grandmother. What a pathetic waste of talent. She does the best she can with what she has been given but you can't anchor an entire film with one great actor in a bit part.

Fellow detectives Tommy Kane (Edward Burns) and Monica Ashe (Rachel Nichols) are cardboard cutouts, Police Chief Richard Bookwell (John C. McGinley) appears entirely miscast and unconvincing, and the villainous Picasso (Matthew Fox) is an over the top psychopath. All of the characters are written paper thin.

Another negative check for the film is in its resolution, it appears to suggests that even for cops at times it's justifiable to pursue morally questionable methods, to take matters into their own hands, to circumvent the law in search of personal vengeance. On the plus side of things, at least we aren't bombarded with 'F' words throughout the film as in the recently released End of Watch, an element which made that film almost unbearable to sit through, it certainly sullied any positive messages.

Alex Cross debuted in fourth place to an estimated $4.01 million from 2,539 locations, trailing Paranormal Activity 4 ($15 million) Argo ($5.09 million) and Taken 2 ($4.25 million). That's lower than Daddy's Little Girls ($4.58 million), which previously held the record for worst opening day for a movie Tyler Perry was associated with.

Considering the reception this film is getting from the critics across the board and the low box office showing, Tyler Perry had better not hang up his Madea dresses. I don't see a sequel in the future.

Cast