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This is a great movie, great acting by Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. Denzel lights the spark in every movie he acts, I like his charisma and intelligence.

This film is underrated, but it is really a great movie to watch. It is 2 hours of suspence and intelligence. The killer is the most intruiging character because he plays mind games with Denzel and Jolie straight through out the movie. Denzel brings a certain charisma, wit and intelligence to every movie he acts. He proves that he is a professional actor by using his facial expressions throughout the movie. I give this movie a thumbs up!!

Very Scary!

Wow, is this movie creepy!!! The movie is good though. It is very scary! The movie is pretty violent, but I still enjoyed the story and movie. It is very exciting and suspensful. Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington did excellent jobs in their roles. This movie is very good and creepy. I have never read the book, so I can't compare the movie from the book. This movie is scary, so don't watch it alone, especially at night! That would really scare you! Overall, the movie is very good and I give it a 8 out of 10.

Well worth a look! Both Jolie and Washington are on form

I've read quite a few comments on this movie and some of them I disagree with and others I don't. Sure, it may be a little predictable and a bit 'all been done before' but there is a certain level of originality and uniqueness to it also.For starters it has a fantastic cast and both lead actors (Jolie and Washington)have won Oscars and thats says something. It can't be easy playing a paralysed man and remaining so still and wooden and he plays the frustrations and emotions so realistically that I would imagine a person actually would be like in real life. Jolie is charming, composed and works well with the camera. Her character is convincing enough and this goes for her performance.The support cast is fantastic too, especially Queen Latifa.The film may have the usual iconographic elements found in the psychological thriller genre but they are necessary for it to firstly conform and also progress. 'The Bone Collector' introduces new techniques and a slightly different angle for the viewer. there has to be a certain amount of repetition with this genre for it to work and this is the case for many others, such as romantic comedies and a couple falling in love or teen flicks with a football jock character.I am currently writing my degree dissertation on sexual subjectivity in psychological thrillers and this film is perfect for that. The changing levels of gendered representations is very interesting and both supports and detracts away from the current representations in society.I say, give it a go! Don't listen to people who have already seen it and didn't like it. If I'd have done that then I wouldn't have given it a go and my dissertation would have been short of argument!

what a letdown

With star billings like Denzel Washington & Angeline Jollie, & the director, Philip Noyce, I would expect a great suspense thriller but what I got instead is a very average Hollywood formula serial killer movie. The serial killer goes through the motion of killing people whilst leaving clues for Denzel Washington to solve, only to be hinted in the end that the serial killer has got a point to make (as if the audience couldn't figure that out for themselves). There's no tension interplay as I would expect in such type of movie, as depicted magnificently between Anthony Hopkin & Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs, or even Kevin Spacey & Brad Pitt & Morgan Freeman in Seven. Undoubtedly, Denzel Washington's presence helped to carry this movie to certain extent. On the hindsight, it also leaves us viewers with an after taste about relationships built up between Denzel & Angeline's characters which is not been explored concisely. It's like the director has the intention to carry the intention through but after finding that there's only a 20 minutes remained, he tries to squeeze all the plots in that much restrained 20 minutes. In other words, the movie overall could have been made tighter & flowed fluidly.

Another average crime movie...

*Warning: spoilers in this review*The acting of Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie was not bad and the acting by the rest of the cast was not bad too.The failing point of the movie was the plot. There was too much emphasis on gore and not enough emphasis on certain aspects of the film like the ideas, etc. so the audience were not able to interpret nor understand certain aspects of the plot.Also, some parts of the plot were not very believable. Like: the part towards the ending where Amelie escaped from arrest. I can't believe that the officers were not smart enough to keep an eye on her.Also, I don't believe how evidence could just be left lying around on the desk. It's plain obvious that if you should lose the evidence, you're partly to blame and a Captain isn't supposed to do that at all.Other not-so convincing parts were how some of the victims could not be strong enough to try and smash their way out. Normally, when faced with a crisis, the victim will try his best to escape and not let the killer get to him or even suddenly possess an incredible amount of will and do something that's totally unexpected of him.Another rather weird issue was that the film was made in 1999. So, how come there's a lack of cellphones/handphones, even? It's obvious a lot of people owned cellphones or handphones by 1999, so it was kinda weird how none of the victims owned one and therefore, be able to call for help.A last point was the lack of realism in this movie concerning how the victims were picked. It seems that the killer managed to get his victims, by coincidence and not by selecting the victims. If I'm not wrong, he drove the cab only when he wanted to kill so as to avoid getting caught by the police. Therefore, it was odd how he didn't manage to get injured if say, he had chosen a victim who was stronger than him.The pacing of the movie was all right. It was intense at some points but in other parts, the pacing falls flat.Maybe some of today's film directors should take a lesson from the directors who made great films in the past like Alfred Hitchock: that no matter how much money you have, it isn't just the visual aspect that counts. It's the plot that ties everything together and makes the audience believe what they see on the screen. If Psycho was frightening only with the visuals but had a horrible plot, I doubt it'd be one of the best movies around.

One of the better "from book to film" movies

This was a generally good movie, a surprising delight. When I first saw it in the video store, I was skeptical. But after watching it, I was impressed. It doesn't rely on gory effects to promote the film and it has a storyline. Superb acting by both Washington and Jolie, great chemistry.

Predictable, stale, stupid

*Criticism does mention spoilers*I rarely make user comments, but this is one movie I have no problem slandering. This movie stinks, and its mediocre of rating of 6 and a half stars is probably too high for such pulp. The Bone Collector is not at all the same calibre of film that Silence of the Lambs or Seven were, despite what its ad claims. This is a perfect example of how not to make a thriller. The pace of this movie was extremely slow- I actually left for about 10 minutes half-way through and came back at the exact scene with the exact same character with absolutely no progression (I refer to you the part where Angelina Jolie's character debates Denzel about cutting off a corpse' hands). The movie is not at all scary, but tries to compensate this with a love-subplot albeit sexy Angelina Jolie's character and Denzel Washington's. Of course, what you get is something comparable to that of the mentor-student relationship as seen in the brillian epic Silence of the Lambs with Hannibal Lecter and Starling, however, even this lacks all effectiveness and I was personally routing for the villain to kill Denzel off so as to avoid hackneyed giggles between the two. With such a crappy movie, I was half-expecting a plot-twist or some sort of spectacular situation to occur at the end to give the movie some credit- things that mediocre movies like Arlington Road and Scream pulled off. Anybody with a 4th grade education can see the ending how will be resolved ( a situation which mimicks Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window). The cliche of having the killer explain his motives was uninspired enough, but the reason was so ridiculous and stupid it had me spewing latte over the screen. Esoterically speaking, I even think the murderer's intention was completely lost as Denzel happily recovers from his loss over the proverbial 'chess game' and gets with his pet project, Angelina.If you are a fan of movies with original ideas and genuinely dynamic concepts (like I am), you will not appreciate this film. If you have not attended a single movie in your life and would like to catch-up on every single Hollywood cliche ever borne (the late-night knock on the window from somebody else but the murderer, the ridiculous serial-killer to prime investigator relationship, the horrible 'woman trying to get by in an all-male dominated workforce aka SOTL) , see this movie....but even then its too slow-paced and you'd be bored.

On Mom's Recommendation

Three stars is a bit of a gift to give The Bone Collector, and if I could give it two and a half I most likely would. My mother, the queen of all that is paranoid, highly recommended I see this film- and being that Mother's Day is coming up in a few months I figured, "Why not?" My mother told me that after seeing this movie she thought she would never set foot in a cab again! Spooky! So, I stood at the movie store for a few minutes playing around with the box. On the box I see Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington, two of my favorites, and at first I think "There's a strange pair" but I was intrigued nonetheless.

The Bone Collector is by no means an insult to intelligence or even one of the worst movies ever made (if you think so, try sitting through Hollow Man). It's a film that has a lot of holes and absolutely ridiculous choices in casting. I think both the actors are brilliant, but their agents should have known better than pitching them this script. For example, I just don't look at Jolie and think "By jove! That girl would be great in the role of a tough as nails rookie cop! Get that girl on the phone."

The poor casting is only magnified by a less than astounding script. I never quite believed murders like this could take place, nor did I suspend my disbelief enough to think the murderer would be who the murderer was in the script. In fact, when the murderer is unmasked, prepare yourself for campy disappointment.

However, this film isn't all bad. While the plot may be a bit unbelievable, the story is interesting enough to capture your attention. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this film to a friend, but I also wouldn't scream if I had to see it again. In the end though, I am left analyzing more of the film's faults and forgetting the moments that I enjoyed. Thanks a lot Mom!

Derivative and stupid

Denzel Washington is such a great actor. Why is he in this movie?
Completely derivative and forgettable. Washington is bed ridden, Jolie is doing all the dirty work. He says in her most terrible situations (dealing with literally steamed people) "I'm with you, I'm right there with you". No you're not. You're in bed. If you haven't seen it, don't bother.

Not so much Se7en - more like Three

*Warning: May contain spoilers*The Bone Collector is the latest in a long line of serial killer thrillers that for the first two thirds of the duration isn't too bad. Bear in mind this was the first big screen film I'd seen since Rancid Aluminium, one of the worst British movies of the 21st century.So naturally in such an offering there is the clever killer and the cop on his or her trailNo great surprise there - except for the fact that our hero - Police detective Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is paralysed after an accident in the first few minutes.Thankfully, director Philip Noyce doesn't dwell too long on Rhyme's recouperation or him coming to terms with his condition. There's enough material there for another movie and it would probably be a Christopher Reeve biopic with Dean Cain or Reeve himself.What we do have is a bed-ridden Lincoln sucked into the case of a killer who has kidnapped a wealthy couple. We know that the husband is dead - his hand is found in the gravel by a railway line, his finger cut to the bone and his wife's wedding ring placed on the naked digit.Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) preserves the crime scene by flagging down the oncoming train and using Rhyme's teachings as her guide. She records the evidence with a camera and our bed-bound hero is suitably impressed by her quick thinking.Alas, not everyone shares his opinion. Stereotypical ignorant copper Captain Cheney (Michael Rooker) sees her as little more than a glorified rookie who's getting in his way. Yes, nice to know that when it comes to one dimensional cops, Noyce thinks that this will satisfy an Y2k audience. How wrong he is - not that it matters as Jolie has enough sex appeal and full blooded realism to carry the movie forward and Washington is his usual charismatic self. Does this man never age?Rhyme, with the aid of his jigsaw-loving nurse (the excellent Queen Latifah, last heard on the ambulance intercom in Bringing Out The Dead) and lovable Latino expert with a microscope and a witty aside (Luis Guzman - that bloke from Out of Sight who Jennifer Lopez roughs up in Miami) examines the photographic evidence, an ancient bolt and a bit of asbestos.Before long, Jolie arrives at the exact spot where our rich hostage is being held. Well, nearly. She's separated by a wall and at 4pm, the poor woman will be roasted alive, thanks to a cleverly arranged steam pipe.Will she get there in time to save the hostage? Well that would be telling but Noyce handles the tension with admirable skill. That all too rare commodity in Tinseltown is laid on thick in this movie and it's to his credit.Alas, the Aussie director has a history of making cracking thrillers that fall apart in the third act. Dead Calm, Patriot Games and this movie suffer from peaking too early. By the last half hour, everything is a little too cosy for a coincidence.For example, Jolie knocks a bunch of books on the floor and finds the exact one she's looking for; vital information is found with barely a pause for breath...Obviously with such a mainstream and streamlined film like this, it's nice to keep the action coming fast enough to prevent your brain kicking in and questioning the little details, but by the time the movie is over and you're going for that beer, pizza or early night, you will question the credibility.It may be a litle on the gory side but TBCis gripping enough and rather old fashioned with that Rear Window-style pay-off being one of the most disappointing in many years.If you like movies with a Scooby Doo ending then this will be right up your street.It's a shame that when we do eventually find out the identity of the killer, many will have guessed it straight away.Noyce (seen at one point in the book shop) throws in his fair share of red herrings but the problem with the exposition at the end is that it bears little relation to anything that came before it.Perhaps if there had been some mention of the critical evidence that causes our deranged villain to murder the innocent then fair enough, you would go home happy in the knowledge that he or she was Looney Tunes within the context of the movie - not in the context of something that seems to have been made up at the last minute and tagged on.It also boasts the most cavity inducing epilogue of any serial killer thriller in recent years. Any plausibility built up in the previous 90 minutes goes straight out of the window here. Remember those Police Squad spoofs where everyone cracks up, the action freezes and the closing titles roll? This is worse.The movie looks great thanks to some good casting and Nigel Phelps' production design. The man who designed Judge Dredd and Alien Resurrection, lends his impressive skills to a movie that is well worth the price of admission, just as long as you don't question things too hard.

Bone Collector- A Thriller!

Very interested and keeps you on the 'edge' thru the entire movie!

Boneheaded

A waste of talent. There was so much talent in this movie and it was all wasted on a boneheaded script. Seems the writers sat around a hat and pulled cliches out of it and strung them together to make a movie. The only suspenseful part was waiting to see which Hollywood cliche they would use for an ending. They opted for the total unknown character showing up as the killer. Denzel Washington tried to bring life to the character but was hampered by boneheaded dialogue. Angelina Jolie tried pouting her way through but her character had no substance. She has some great lips though.

Glad I don't use yellow taxi cabs!!!

If I'm ever in the U.S. I don't think I'll be stepping into a yellow taxi cab after seeing this movie. Denzel Washington's part as a paraplegic forensic expert, must have been a difficult one for him to play, but I thought he did an excellent job. It's a "cat and mouse" game and keeps you thinking. It's not right to tell all for those who still have to see it. Made me think of the responsible jobs, our policemen and the people who work in forensics have to do on a daily basis. If you like movies with suspense ...you'll find it in this one.

Oh dammit...

I usually like that kind of movie.. Suspense, some actions, some funny lines... But that movie, even with the fact that Denzel Washington with a garbage on the head stay my favorite actor, was... bad. I really did not like it. The plot could have been great but look.. 2 minutes after the beginning of the movie I bet 20 $ on who was the killer and I won.. Angelina Jolie is a great actress.. And I mean it. But *The bone collector* , I'm pretty sure, won't make her a big actress. There are some disgusting things happening.. That did make me look somewhere else. But the rest of the movie I just tried to find a comfortable way to seat. Without falling asleep. Conclusion, if you really want a great movie, run to the video store and rent *The negotiator* or *L.A. Confidential**½ out of *****

Ending Didn't Disappoint

This DVD kept us all on the edge of our seats till the end. Some parts will make you jump. For a guy who can't move, Washington does a great job. So does John Voight's daughter. She's worth the price. Interesting DVD features as well.

Best Suspence Horror So Far!

Some people just just don't know a good movie when they see it. The acting was great. The killer at least knew what he was after instead of just going after someone because they did something he didn't like. Watch it. You will like it.

Bad rip-off

Seen this story about a million times. It's a bad rip-off with a very farfetched plot. Denzel Washington disappoints, and Angelina Jolie is unconvincing as a police investigator. No suspense, I could tell the ending of the movie after watching 15 minutes.

Gripping

I'd never had the time for this film - I always wanted to watch something better, or something different. But since Angelina just had a wee girl, I decided it was time to actually watch this. I have to admit, I only really bought this for Angelina (how hot does she look in a police uniform?!), I can take or leave Denzel Washington. What was disappointing was that he really didn't have a lot to do in this, apart from talk. (And boy, can he talk!)

My Dad had originally read the book, and seen the film, but only remembered bits of it. I didn't know it was based on a book, and had never seen it before. It actually caught me right from the start, and it isn't often that happens to me when I watch a film. Angelina was absolutely amazing, when is she not, and she played the role very well, considering it could have been very a very two dimensional character. Queen Latifah could have been completely cut out of this film, and she wouldn't have been missed - apart from working out one of the puzzles.

I wasn't very sure about the motive of the killer, and the ending failed there, if you don't understand why the killer did what he did, or like me, barely noticed the killer throughout the rest of the film! I liked the way how all the puzzles and clues eventually all fitted together (can I visit that book shop by the way?!) and how it always seemed to be a race against time. And yes, it is really gory, but not in an obvious way.

This is worth picking up for cheap, if you're a fan of either Angelina or Denzel, or be warned, for the second time, Denzel doesn't do nothing! But it's quite interesting how he manages to help out. Prepare for a nail biting ending.

Lots to like, questionable storyline

There is a lot to like about this movie. This movie is filled with great acting and likable characters amid the dank surroundings of the crime scenes. Denzel Washington is the bright quadraplegic forensic expert asked to find a murderer with the help of reluctant young patrol cop played by Angelina Jolie. There's the usual friction at first that turns to admiration between the two. There's even some sexual tension that crops up later in the show. In the end, however, it's the script that lets us down. We follow along waiting for the big payoff at the end to find out who did it. The killer seems to come out of blue towards the end. It is fun to watch up to this point and I found myself laughing at the ending. This could have been a great movie but the story was asking too much of the audience.

Pathetic Programmer masquerading as a movie

This would have been good as a Showtime original, even a HBO Guilty Pleasure. It might even have worked as a syndicated series starring Carl Weathers and Heather Medway. Alas, it is a mega-budget Hollywood movie with name actors. The ending of this film is as cowardly and candy-ass as any film ever made, and the brilliant decision on director Noyce's part to have another actor who you think might be the killer masquerade as the killer in certain scenes makes it even more lame. Pathetic.