STARS: ** �
DIRECTOR: Joe Charbanic
PRINCIPLE CAST:
James Spader
Keanu Reeves
Marisa Tomei
TAGLINE: Someone wants to play.
It is amazing when a suspense film comes along that actually tries to be different. Instead of just having a serial killer who is disturbed, The Watcher takes us a step farther, bring us into his mind, as well as the officer following him. Or is it the other way around?
Basically, if you saw the previews, you have pretty good inclination of the story: James Spader is a cop who is so upset with a case that he takes disability and moves, only to be followed by the serial killer, Keanu Reeves. It�s pretty simple, but still interesting.
What this movie tries to bring us is the necessity a serial killer and detective start evolve into. After a while, our police officer and murderer start to need each other, kind of like that balance between good and evil. Without one, the other feels thrown off. So, the other always has to be there in some form or another.
James Spader is someone I always enjoy and am kind of upset that he has yet to achieve �big star� status. He always brings depth to his characters, but just cannot find his place in this teeny-bopper world. Marisa Tomei is someone else I enjoy, and it is nice to finally see her in a film after a long disappearance. As for Keanu Reeves, I am shocked. I was never really a fan of his, not that I had anything against him, but he is rather good. I think it was a wonderful choice to put an action star in the role of a serial killer. They can bring a necessary essence to a role that is usually played so obvious it gets annoying.
Another point I have to make is the way the film tries to be stylish. It uses a dark atmosphere, some interesting cinematography, and unique flashback sequences. It is amazing, with all the praise I am giving this movie, you are probably wondering �why only ** �?� Well, that is just it. It always tries, but does not always succeed. Basically, I think it was a screenplay problem. At times the movie seems to long, then it seems to short. I cannot blame the direction or the performances because they are done pretty well, but the story just does not gel. There are loopholes here and there, but that does not bug me too much. I do not know exactly why, but the film falls short. This is the only way I can think to sum up my feelings on this movie: I saw it in a discount theater, and got my money�s worth.
