Angelina Jolie is perfect for the lead role in Taking Lives. Not only is she a brilliant actress, but her beauty is instrumental in duping audiences into theaters to see her latest flop. Although Taking Lives is entertaining, audiences deserve better.
The concept is simple and clich??d; FBI Special Agent Scott (Jolie) helps police catch the latest serial killer on the loose. Unfortunately, movies like The Silence of the Lambs, Seven and even Kiss the Girls are all much better films with the same general premise.
Taking Lives rehashes most of the same scenes, like creepy criminal acts and bodies that jump out at the audience, but without much in the way of pizzazz or intelligent innovation.
Most of the crime scenes don't even yield any useful information, which undermines the story and confuses the audience. For most of the film, it seems like the story is about to reveal something worthwhile, but then it doesn't. The plot is predictable, and the murderer is obvious to most.
Yet Angelina Jolie isn't bad to look at and delivers a very good performance, as does Ethan Hawke. They are very convincing together, in spite of a simplistic screenplay. Perhaps the most impressive sequence in the film is a love scene involving the two.
Unfortunately, that is the best Taking Lives has to offer. Kiefer Sutherland has little more than what I would consider a cameo. He is only in about a total of 10 minutes of the entire film, and has about eight lines.
In truth, he shouldn't be listed as a main actor, but he is. Hugo Leclaire (Tcheky Karyo) heads the investigation into the murders, but his role is generally superficial and unneeded.
The direction is nothing special, it's just okay. Caruso is more of a television-oriented director, most notable for his work in the controversial series, The Shield. However, Caruso has proven himself competent in film before, with The Salton Sea. It is a much better movie, and I recommend it.
Taking Lives had great potential, especially since the book the film is based on is quite a good one. However, this is yet another example of a novel not translating well to the big screen.
Caruso has minimal cinematic prowess, and it is disappointing how many great opportunities for symbolism were wasted. Often times, the mise en scene, or the way a scene is framed or shot, was grossly misleading, to the point of seriously distracting the viewer from plot elements.
The serial killer, Martin Asher, is also underdeveloped, which prevents the viewer from being able to identify with him. Caruso might as well have just called him "the bad guy," and people would know just as much about him.
Plain and simple, Taking Lives is bad. Unless you are starved to see Angelina Jolie starring as a sex symbol yet again, I suggest you stay home and wait to rent this one.
The most disappointing thing about this film is the overall trend in film that this represents. More and more, studios are releasing films with no real substance. The only practical way to combat this is by boycotting such films at the box office.
Taking Lives combines brilliant acting with an atrocious screenplay, resulting in a flop with lots of hype. I give Taking Lives a 65 out of a possible 100.
If you want to see a good serial killer movie that most haven't seen, watch In the Cut. If you desire a good film directed by Caruso, watch The Salton Sea. And if you like Angelina Jolie, look at a photograph, because she just doesn't pick good roles.
