The Watcher Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
Don't go home alone.
Someone wants to play.
A detective (James Spader) tracking a serial killer (Keanu Reeves) gives up all hope of solving the crimes and moves to another city. After he's settled in the old acquaintance he makes himself known. The serial killer has resurrected and resumes sending him pictures of his next victim.
| Keanu Reeves | David Allen Griffin |
| James Spader | Joel Campbell |
| Marisa Tomei | Dr. Polly Beilman |
| Ernie Hudson | Ibby |
| Jeff Rice | |
| Chris Ellis | Hollis |
| Robert Cicchini | Mitch |
| Yvonne Niami | Lisa |
| Jenny McShane | Diana |
| Gina Alexander | Sharon |
| Rebekah Louise Smith | Ellie |
| Joseph Sikora | Skater |
| Jill Peterson | Jessica |
| Michele DiMaso | Rachel |
| Andrew Rothenberg | Jack Fray |
| David Pasquesi | Norton |
| Joe Charbanic |
5.20 out of 10 (8098 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Odd casting, but strong acting
posted on 26 Jun 2009James Spader as a sympathetic character and Keanu Reeves as a psychotic one indicates that whoever made this movie put their balls to the wall. Lucky for them, it paid off; as Spader's yuppie malaise translates into gumshoe weariness in this role, and Keanu's desire to break type-casting molds translates into calculated homicidal mania. Furthermore, far removed from her "My Cousin Vinny" fame, Marisa Tomei lives up to her hype as a psychiatrist who encourages Spader's character to go back into the fray.You'll find yourself at odds with this one as you watch it, but if you stick with it, you'll find the movie's quite rewarding. Your gut response to the casting will reverse itself about halfway through when this film's pistons really start to turn. At that point, you're hooked--much as you are to a cheesy drama or daytime soap--and the end pays off.Spader and Reeves both play well against type, giving them both points for true acting chops, and Tomei takes her career a step further very quietly in this role. The first half hooks you with curiosity. The second with intrigue. It's well worth a look, and even worthy of a second one to make one marvel at how the makers pulled it off in the first place.
New lows, what happened to Spader
posted on 06 Feb 2009This movie is for retards. Now let me explain, I do not mean mentally handicapped people, I mean retards. Retards are normal intelligent people who are lazy morons who refuse to evolve beyond the beer in their hand. Spader is really going down the toilet with these pathetic movies. Where can I start with this visual and mental trash - the acting was bad (except for the police partner), Spader gave his acting the energy level of a slug, Reeves acted as if he was performing in his first high school made-at-home movie with his best friend and their very first video cam. Plot, well there was no plot. The movie did score a 10 on the mean-and-depressing-o-meter. Investing 1.5 hours in this garbage is going to p*ss me off for the next week.
This thrill was never here...
posted on 03 Jan 2009From the comericials, The Watcher seemed to be a promising thriller about a serial killer and the cop that tracked him. I had high hopes for this movie until reality set in. My initial thought when viewing this movie that it was a cable movie. The second thought was not only could I write a better script but direct this movie better than this. There were so many things wrong with this movie, they are too numerous to begin with. The Watcher could have been a good movie but it was not a well thoughtout or planned movie. Keanu Reeves, fresh from his role in The Replacements, was not chilling or convincing as a serial killer. James Spader as an FBI Agent left something to be desired. Perhaps if the roles had been reversed or the script and direction had been well crafted, this movie would be worth the price of administion but with the numerous problems with this film, it would be lucky enough to garner an initial look without considering a second one.
Not great; not bad.
posted on 02 Nov 2008Fairly decent timewaster. I actually bought Keanu as a serial killer, he had the look and the charm. This movie joins the ranks of other like films (see 'Striking Distance') in that sub-genre I call 'drugstore movies.'
They're the equivalent of drugstore novels that you take to the beach, in that you don't have to pay all that much attention to get the gist of the story and they provide enough fantastical element to satisfy the escapist in all of us that consumes entertainment by the barrelful. The direction is stylish enough, if not uninspired, to keep your attention. My one big gripe is that Marisa Tomei is completely wasted. You know this was a paycheck role for her! Other than that, not much else to say about this. It's one of those movies where you say , "Gee, glad I didn't pay $9.50 to see that in the theater."
Miscasting, camera tricks and music.
posted on 31 Oct 2008I felt that the movie could have been a little better if Keanu Reeves and James Spader had switched parts. Reeves could have done the intensity of the cop beautifully and Spader could have played the killer with a coolness and that would have made the character more chilling. And how about toning down those camera effects. They started giving me a headache.Everytime someone started to run, the speedy effects made me want to run to the aspirin. I also didn't like equating the heavy metal music with serial killers.
A movie that has mediocrity all over it
posted on 17 Oct 2008As the movie went along, I could only think of one word: mediocre. Everything in this movie is mediocre: the predictable plot, the characters, the acting, the music... nothing, I mean NOTHING was either better or worse than that. There's nothing downright laughable, but there's absolutely nothing that raised even a little bit my level of interest. Spader plays a totally clichéd FBI agent, the kind that keeps only old junk food in his refrigerator and has nightmares, plus a bad story that keeps haunting him. Something that Leslie Nielsen was already spoofing twelve years ago. Reeves the psychopath -- an absolutely unscary one, by the way -- that needs to be stopped. Tomei the caring psychiatrist of Spader. I won't spoil the movie, but it needs absolutely no effort in telling how the plot will go without even seeing it. Why is a movie like this released today? Does it really take that much effort to write something just a little bit original?4/10
Awful, Awful, Awful....
posted on 21 Sep 2008Where do I begin...? In seeing it's short theatrical run, and reading the reviews I was prepared for "bad" with this stinker. I just didn't know how really bad, "Bad" could mean. Even as cheap pulp, this movie fails. From the two miscast stars (with Spader over acting in his role and Reeves napping through his),... predictable plot twists,... a wasted Oscar winning talent,... bad special effects, poor editing... the list goes on. I guess the if any word came to mind while watching this movie... frustrating.James Spader as the "tortured" cop seems tortured all right. My guess is he slipped too far into his "method" acting or he just hated the script. Although Keanu Reeves should be applauded for trying new roles, his confidence, conviction and character seem wholly unbelievable. Is he supposed to be a serial killer or a super-hero? Worse the vague connection between the two, re-told in a series of confusing flashbacks leave the audience caring about niether character. Marisa Tomei, although a great comedic talent, doesn't seem convincing enough to portray a licensed psychologist (think Bruce Willis in "The Color Of Night").That being said, acting isn't the piece that haunts "The Watcher" the most it's the direction. The worst formula directing I've seen in a medium budget picture in a long time. Chase scenes that aren't thrilling, plot points are predictably laid out, and the film seems flat stylistically. This whole flick screams "straight to video".Watching "The Watcher" wasn't pleasant. Save yourself the pain and rent "Manhunter" instead.
You Gotta see this! Keanu Reeves completely diverse!
posted on 11 Sep 2008As soon as i read about this movie, i wanted to see it, Keanu Reeves the cool, laid back, Surfer dude, playing a serial killer, was totally different and diverse, and Keanu Reeves proves to the audiences, he can play a really nasty character! He's a classic! I was totally surprised by him, he's mad, and insane, with some sick 1 liners! and James Spader was well worth watching! he put in a good performance, some parts of his acting needs brushing up, but on the hole he was the right choice for the role! Marisa Tomei didn't have a huge part it was mainly Keanu/Spader but she was the subject at the end, which slotted in the beginning to make the end! i now like her and will look out for her! great effects, explosions, and intensity, which makes this a hit!
e-gad, what was that?
posted on 26 Aug 2008Keanu has played some great roles over the years. "Speed" and "The Matrix" are still some of my favorite movies. Keanu plays a great hero. He's got the face, the acting and the demeanor...but a killer he is not. There are many actors who can convincingly play both good and bad guys- Keanu is not one of them. Just as Tom Cruise played a terrible Lestat, Keanu plays a dreadful bad guy.Every time he said "I'm going to kill you" with his high-pitched voice and American-boy looks, I couldn't help but laugh. Spader was pretty stinky too.Save the $3- go grab a hamburger.
This film is awful
posted on 20 Aug 2008I've seen a lot of bad slasher/serial killer flicks in my day, but this was simply a miserable film. I cannot believe Reeves actually agreed to do this one. I don't have a lot of respect for his acting, but at least his film selection is usually fairly decent. I found the character development to be uncommonly weak. And the thing that really made me want to just turn the damned thing off right away was Reeves' victim from the photo shop. Do you mean to tell me that in Chicago, a city of millions of people, they can pass out flyers and paste someone's face all over the TV for HOURS, and not ONE person recognizes the girl? Not one? The entire story seemed far-fetched to me and the special effects in the closing sequence were laughable.
George Lucas did effects for Star Wars 24 years ago, and they looked 10 times better than the stuff in The Watcher.
Believably tragic characters without over-the-top performances.
posted on 23 Jul 2008I didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did. The plot was written in a way to make the characters very believable and real. Spader plays a tragic hero that needs the bad guy (under-played to perfection by Reeves) to come back into his life in order to find closure with his past and come to terms with the present. Neither Spader nor Reeves played to stereotypes common to this genre, and as a result, their performances were gritty and powerful without coming across as over-the-top.
Stereotyped performances are a common weakness in many other similar movies, which are also good movies, but they rely on star performances from their marquee actors. This becomes a troublesome thing when the acting tends to define the movie and hides weaknesses and implausibility within the script. Recent examples of this are seen in The Bone Collector, Copycat, and Kiss The Girls. I liked each of these movies for different reasons, but The Watcher was more real to me because the actors weren't playing a type. Spader showed a reluctant vulnerability and a controlled intensity that was very true-to-life in my experience. And Reeves was so spooky as the serial killer because he tried to show a small sliver of his Evil each time without ever overdoing it. Another great surprise was Tomei, who came out of semi-retirement to also give us a dead-on performance as Spader's psychiatrist. She, too, acted emotionally in a way that filled the role without ever becoming a movie stereotype. Visually, her hair, make-up, and clothes helped downplay her character and allowed her to become just another real person who arbitrarily became involved in things. I think this was a great choice for her.
Gritty thriller with interesting "value exchange" sub plot.
posted on 03 Jul 2008The excellent Spader plays a cop we can all sympathize with, while Reeves is perfect as the villain we love to hate. Stereotypes are subverted through the introduction of a clever sub plot which has Spader using "cash" (a physical monetary instrument) as a medium for "value exchange" in order to obtain some "goods" he requires. This break with existing paradigms kept my interest alive in what might otherwise have been a cliche-ridden thriller.
a pretty good movie
posted on 25 Jun 2008I enjoyed this movie. It was different 2 see Keanu as the bad guy. But he did a pretty good job at it. It was good 2 see James Spader back in action. His last good movie was STARGATE. I was never a M. Tomei(?) fan but she did a good job as well. If u like Suspenseful serial killers movies, then this is a movie for you! The fire in the end was kind of fake--stupid CGI crap, it da*n near ruined the movie. CGI almost ruins ever movie, but its still worth seeing & its going into my precious collection.
Not as bad as I might have thought
posted on 17 Jun 2008Some of the reviews for this film didn't exactly stoke my fire for seeing this, but my mom rented it, and I rarely opt out of watching a movie.I'm not sure why, but it seemed like this film went by fairly quickly. Still, it wasn't too bad of a movie. The storyline is unconvoluted and simple to follow, and is for the most part well-rounded. Spader is great, and probably the most interesting part about this film is the interaction between him and Reeves. Though they are enemies, their conversations are casual and without much tension at all, almost like they're two brothers, or two people discussing business. Reeves' slo-mo dancing scenes seem a bit out-of-place, but that doesn't make it a waste of an hour and a half.
another stupid copy
posted on 15 Jun 2008This movie so horribly contrived an ripped-off from other movies like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs that it made my toes curl up into my shoes.The story is virtually non-existent. This is the umpteenth time that people are trying to copy classic serial killer movies. Keanu Reeves is totally unconvincing as this "menacing killer" who stalks his victims and them kills them with piano wire. His stiff-as-a-board acting is becoming annoying (if it wasn't already).There are two good things about this movie: James Spader, it is always a pleasure to see him on the big screen. He is one of the great actors of our time. I wish he wouldn't do movies like this, but he has to put food on the table too and good scripts are hard to find. Number two was the humour. About 2 1/2 times I had to grin or laugh (and I don't mean at the stupidities of the story) at some jokes. Keanu firing Spader's gun into the ground to see if it is loaded, and the sarcastic police officer working next to Spader on the case had some laughs.Overall a very disappointing (but then again I wasn't expecting much) movie that should be forgotten and put into the ranks with other movies like The Bone Collector.3/10
what a boring, predictable waste of time
posted on 06 Apr 2008this + "bone collector" and that terrible film with Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones must be just part of some B-rated tv series, as both predictable and extremely standard story line , weak acting and uninteresting photography make them look just like the standard TV bore.
A boring, predictable disappointment.
posted on 25 Mar 2008Movies do get worse than this, but not by a whole lot.There are only so many components that make up a good movie, and this film is lacking in all of them. Watch this, and you'll see serious flaws in casting, directing, and editing. The soundtrack is horrible. The characters are empty and have absolutely no depth. The story is paint-by-numbers predictable. There's no suspense, thrills, or climax anywhere in this movie.This is as bland as it gets. Some bad movies are worth watching, and even some of those can still be rather entertaining. I was looking forward to seeing something that, if not memorable, would at least be watchable. Watchable this movie is, but after you're done with it you'll be asking yourself, "Why did I just watch that?"
Decent cast deliver a D-movie
posted on 25 Mar 2008This looks as though it was thrown together in a few hours and the principal cast should be strung up by the toes with piano wire for such a shameless exercise in mercenary role-taking.What's wrong with it? The plot's so full of holes you could grate cheese with it, the soundtrack's awful, the camerawork's irritating, the car chase is a yawn, the characters lack motive, and Keanu Reeves is about as threatening as a granny with a custard pie.What's good about it? Not much, but at least it had the decency to end in under an hour and a half.Note to would-be serial-killer-thriller makers: give your psychos a backstory - it makes them mildly interesting. A leather jacket is not a good enough indicator of homicidal tendencies.
Poor and predictable
posted on 11 Mar 2008Oke, so around 2000 I heard about this movie 'The watcher'. 9 years later I check it out just out of curiosity. Im sorry I did. It was boring, full of cliché. The actors seemed bored and didn't really know what they where doing. I just had to say something. I've read some crappy reviews. And this movie probably got the most of them. I don't understand how anyone could possibly enjoy this film. it is nerve wrecking and dull. I think this movie is most of all for Keanu Reaves fans. And they probably don't know a thing about films (if there fan of Reaves films). So please never let the director of this peace of crap near a camera ever again. He is not worthy.
Dumb script, but Keanu is good
posted on 25 Aug 2009Really stupid script. Things that were intended as suspenseful just turned out stupid. The cinematography is just another rip-off of SE7EN. (Can we please get some original visuals back into the movies please?) Keanu, normally one of the most beautiful men on the planet, looked puffy. Guess he's not in training for the MATRIX sequels yet. :) Rated 6/10.