Reviews & Ratings for
The Bone Collector More at IMDbPro »

Page 1 of 39:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

54 out of 70 people found the following review useful:
Dark, suspenseful thriller worth seeing, 7 July 2001
Author: jimjba from Washington State, USA

Denzel Washington plays a former cop who is injured in the line of duty and becomes a crime scene investigator and expert witness in the service of law firms. Angelina Jolie plays a cop who is struggling to find a place within a male-dominated police culture, and shows a talent for crime scene investigation, which Denzel's character immediately recognizes and appreciates, since he is bedridden and physically unable to go to most crime scenes. She is reluctant to get involved, but does wind up grudgingly serving as his eyes and ears as they try to follow clues left by a serial killer who gives clues about his next victims and taunts them and the police.

While Denzel's character is almost too brilliant to be believable, if you can overlook that you should thoroughly enjoy this movie. Denzel and Angelina, together with cops of varying competence, try to follow the clues given to them by the serial killer, who gives them clues before the killing actually occurs.

Most people who enjoy a dark, suspenseful movie (such as Silence of the Lambs) should thoroughly enjoy this movie.

50 out of 63 people found the following review useful:
Quite a fine thriller., 12 June 2002

Author: Jack the Ripper1888 from Chicagooooooo

I was very pleasantly surprised at this film. Denzel Washington proves again that he can handle any role that he chooses to play. In this case, he plays homicide inspector, Lincoln Rhyme who has been nearly paralyzed after suffering from an accident in the line of duty. But now, when a mysterious killer begins killing off people in a very peculiar matter, he must team with a hard-headed rookie cop (Angelina Jolie) to solve the crimes. Supporting cast includes Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, Mike McGlone, Luis Guzman, Leland Orser and Ed O'Neil.

I like the way they have the killer as an intelligent person. Someone who has a knowledge of what he is doing. And the way he leaves clues for the cops to follow. To come up with something this perfect, you must a genius. While not really scary, this suspense thriller is actually thrilling as opposed to the many number of "thrillers" that are not even thrilling. (Example: HANGMAN). Thank you Hollywood for giving us THE BONE COLLECTOR. This is a good one. Highly recommended.....5/5.

42 out of 58 people found the following review useful:
Good film, no wasted time, 11 October 2000

Author: Ron Revere from West Virginia

I am one of those older folks who doesn't care for the kind of movies that are made these days. As such, my movie watching is generally confined to old classic films ala TCM and AMC. But, I do subscribe to all of the premium channels via DirecTV and, occasionally, watch a newer film if the plot synopsis appears to be one that I may be able to tolerate. I have read all of the previous reviews of this film on the IMDB and find them very interesting. Many of the reviews mention a movie titled "Seven". I have never heard of, much less seen, "Seven". I consider this fact to be a fortunate one because I was able to watch "The Bone Collector" without having to constantly compare it to a previous film. In short, I liked this movie. I was entertained royally precisely because I didn't take the story line too seriously. There was not much time wasted on character development. GOOD !! I don't need to know why the characters became the persons that they are. I simply want them to get on with whatever they must do. Another thing that I liked was the lack of sex scenes, which seem to be almost a necessity it today's movies. The two leads did a great job and their chemistry was excellent. Mr. Washington and Ms. Jolie were very believable. The killer? No big deal. I couldn't have cared less who did the killings. I simply waited for justice to be done. In short, I don't agree with any of the harsh criticism that I have read on this forum. I guess that's because I am a rather down to earth person who has no need to turn watching a movie into an academic exercise, complete with thorough analysis of character motivation, etc.

30 out of 39 people found the following review useful:
Well worth a look! Both Jolie and Washington are on form, 9 March 2005

Author: denise_kate from Manchester, England

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!

20 out of 24 people found the following review useful:
Dark And Moody, 15 May 2007
Author: Lechuguilla from Dallas, Texas

A bed ridden, paraplegic NYC detective, Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington), teams up with a rookie cop named Amelia (Angelina Jolie) to try and catch a serial killer, in this dark, moody atmospheric thriller from Director Phillip Noyce. This is a fine thriller.

From the get-go viewers understand that an intelligent maniac is on the loose, and could strike at any time. That is the very definition of cinematic tension. In addition, the killer uses dark, subterranean spaces to torture and kill victims. That inky darkness, together with a haunting musical score further amplifies suspense.

But, the solution to the whodunit puzzle is ultimately unsatisfying because the screenwriter withholds important back-story from viewers. This could have been so easily fixed with the addition of a line or two of dialogue and/or a brief added scene near the film's beginning. Even so, good plot misdirection creates ample red herrings, so that the killer's identity is not a foregone conclusion.

The film's cinematography, production design, and editing are fine. Washington does a good job as the paralyzed cop. But Angelina Jolie is miscast; she pouts her way through the film looking like she's bored out of her mind. The support cast helps a lot, with highly credible performances from delightful Queen Latifah, capable Ed O'Neill, and reliable Michael Rooker.

The crime scenes tended unfortunately to be in-your-face grizzly. But at least the gore quotient was minimal.

For dark, moody serial killer films set in NYC, I prefer "Sea Of Love" (1989). Nevertheless, "The Bone Collector" can be enjoyed for its elevated level of suspense, its fine cinematography, and its generally high level of acting. Be advised, however, that the film's finale may be a disappointment if you expect all the whodunit puzzle pieces to fall into place, neat and tidy.

33 out of 51 people found the following review useful:
Above average film, except the end..., 21 January 2000

Author: Elwood_Blues from Bonn, Germany

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I went to this film expecting not too much after all the bad commentaries about it, but in the end I think this film is quite entertaining. The acting is quite good and the filmmakers understand it to build a 'scary' atmosphere. Of course, this is no masterpiece like Se7en, but its okay... What I did not liked at all, was the ending. It was so (!!!) predictable. Some people even made bets à la "5 bucks she will save him". Moreover it was really stupid, that the killer's motive had nothing to do with the entire film. And maybe the worst about the film was this completely ridiculous christmas scene where both lead characters seem to be a couple. It seemed to me like the writer thought "Oh s**t, I forgot the two have to fall in love" and so he wrote this scene.

Bottom line: Quite entertaining but too predictable to be good. My vote: 6/10

BTW: What do Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts have in common? The wide grin :-)

19 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Above Average Serial Killer Flick, But Ruined By a Ridiculous Ending..., 3 March 2003
Author: MovieAddict2013 from UK

The Bone Collector

The serial-killer genre received a big boost over a decade ago when 'The Silence of the Lambs' was released; Hannibal Lector himself spawned a newfound interest in not the slasher genre of the eighties, but of the psychological slashers.

Unfortunately, like all movies and their genres, they simply get…old. I'm tired of serial killer movies that try to cash in on the success of 'The Silence of the Lambs.' We've had countless films over the years since 'Silence' that are just tragic rehashes of each other with predictable and ridiculous endings.

Now we have 'The Bone Collector,' another typical 'psychological thriller' brought to life by a great cast and director.

Angelina Jolie plays the cop-on-the-streets who discovers a corpse next to a railroad. She immediately sparks interest in herself as the chief of police starts watching over her more, and a paraplegic man named Lincoln (Denzel Washington) summons her to his home to ask her a simple question.

Washington wants Jolie to help him catch the killer.

Denzel Washington plays Lincoln, a man who used to be big but is now immobile. His only moveable joint below his neck is a single finger, which he uses to click a computer mouse by his bed. He is watched over by Queen Latifah, a caring woman, sure, but not exactly loving.

'The Bone Collector,' based on the novel of the same name by Jeffery Deaver, could easily have slipped into the average slot, but because of a great cast, is just good enough to recommend. There are some gut-wrenching scenes in 'The Bone Collector,' but then there are some scenes (including the end) that recede into the stereotypical psychological thriller.

Director Phillip Noyce uses some great shadowing and a dark, moody atmosphere to bring the surroundings of his film to life. Exterior shots are dark and withdrawn, and interior shots are almost brighter. It is as if the darkness symbolizes the chemistry in the characters. The more Denzel talks to Jolie the brighter the room gets; when they are outside it is darker. Why? Because she doesn't know anyone outside. It is as if the surroundings are tailored around her character's emotions. She's happy, it's bright. She sad, it's dark. Etc…

All in all, I was going to give 'The Bone Collector' a higher recommendation than three stars before I saw the ending, but it turned out to be quite ridiculous and average; plus, it was very predictable. I guessed it before it happened.

3/5 stars –

John Ulmer

12 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Dark and tense, but ultimately lazy story telling, 11 January 2002
Author: bob the moo

When NYPD cop Amelia Donaghy uncovers a mutilated corpse she shows a natural eye for detail and preserving crime scenes. When the killer turns out to be a serial killer leaving clues to his next crime, NYPD turn to the paralysed ex-forensics cop, Rhyme to help them piece together the clues. With Rhymes bedridden, Donaghy becomes his eyes, ears and legs as she walks the scenes under his guidance to uncover the trail.

This is a star vehicle - two Oscar winners and some good supporting actors (Luis Guzman, Michael Rooker to name two). However the plot is below the Washington and Jolie. It is the old "killer taunting cops to catch him" chestnut. It is slightly spiced up by the use of forensics etc and watching Washington putting together the logical clues is quite fun - mainly because you get the feeling that you're right there with him and that it all makes sense. However most of it doesn't makes sense, a lot of the forensics is bull and relies of coincidence or Washington dragging facts from the back of his head. This is a shame because it feels like the film is just being lazy at times and is cheating us out of logic. This laziness feeds right through to the ending - if you thought that the Scream films were lazy and stupid wait till you see the stupid ending to this! Up till this the film does have plenty of horrible scenes and lots of tense bits with Jolie walking round in the dark with the killer potentially just round the corner.

Jolie is good and deals with her character well - despite the fact that a beat cop would never just be able to become a crime scene officer on the whim of an ex-cop. Washington deals well with his character being paralysed for the whole film but does get a bit silly at the end where he fights the killer with just his head! Support is fine - but Guzman is not as good as he usually is.

Overall this is a B movie that got an A movie budget. The film is dark and tense but ultimately a bit lazy and blows it totally with a stupid lazy conclusion.

14 out of 22 people found the following review useful:
yawn, 24 May 2004

Author: Flatliner82 from yawn

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

SPOILER ALERT

A cliché-riddled film that somehow makes an anti-death with dignity statement, though it attempts to do the opposite. Washington is a paralyzed forensics officer who has been suffering and wanting to die for the past four years (apparently he wrote his huge selling book only a year ago though, so it hasn't all be despair). He arranges for an assisted suicide with his doctor who will return in a week.

In the meantime, he helps out on a serial killer case. He recruits the gutsy, I don't wanna do it, but I'm just so good at it, cop Jolie, and they track down impossible clue jumping to highly unlikely conclusions in matters of moments. Hey, that old bolt means that the killer has the millionaire's wife in a steam tunnel by the old Woolworth building. Shyeah, right. It's laughable. Yet no is smart enough to figure out that doctor who's going to assist him is the killer.

When he comes to Washington to murder him (ahead of schedule), he has a change of heart and struggles unbelievably for his life. Cut to the obligatory bad guy about to shoot the good guy scene when BANG the gun goes off--- but the bad guy didn't fire! No the woman steps out of the corner, she has just shot him in the back.

8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Some Chilling Moments, 13 September 2000

Author: jhclues from Salem, Oregon

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

**May Contain Spoilers** Director Phillip Noyce delivers an atmospheric thriller with `The Bone Collector,' a somewhat grisly tale of a serial killer in New York City. Homicide detective Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is an expert in the field of forensics; he has also been a quadriplegic for four years, the result of an accident sustained during the investigation of a crime scene. From the neck down he has the use of only a single finger, with which he controls a computer and monitor from his bed. Useless though his body may be, his mind is still sharp, and circumstances bring him together with a young NYPD officer, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), who has just received a long sought after transfer to the Youth Services Division. Destiny takes her elsewhere, however. When she is the first officer to arrive at a crime scene, Donaghy proceeds to secure the area and take the appropriate measures to insure that any evidence is not compromised. Rhyme is consulted on the case (a murder), and takes note of the precision employed by Donaghy in handling the crime scene. When he meets her, he learns that while at the academy she had read one of his books on the subject (He has written a dozen, on forensics and related issues). Rhyme then presses her into service as his eyes and ears, to physically do at a crime scene what he cannot, by talking her through each step via radio. Reluctant initially, Donaghy soon exhibits an affinity for forensics and becomes much more than merely the physical extension of Rhyme; they become partners, and continue with the case accordingly. `The Bone Collector' offers some chilling moments, especially in two scenes, one of which involves a steam pipe, the other, lots of rats. In each case, it is all the more horrifying because the victims can see exactly what is about to happen to them, they have time to think about it, and there is absolutely nothing they can do about it. It makes for an eerie, disconcerting story, and though inherently dark it never descends to the appalling level of a predecessor in the genre, `Seven.' Washington gives a top notch performance, keeping Rhyme interesting though confined to bed for the entire movie, and Jolie takes Amelia to a believable level that far surpasses the typical ingenue rendering of such characters. Unfortunately, character development, on the whole, is sacrificed for sensationalism; with the exception of Rhyme, whose character is readily established, we are offered mere glimpses of the rest. We have hints as to what motivates Amelia, but we are left guessing as to the agenda of Captain Cheney (Michael Rooker). Along the way, some characters are used like obstacles thrown into the path of a race track (Cheney is one, a bookstore clerk is another), with the sole intent of manipulating the audience. With a little more depth, this could have been a remarkable movie. The supporting cast includes Queen Latifah, who brings a welcome presence to the film as Rhyme's nurse, Thelma; Ed O'Neill (Detective Sellitto); Leland Orser (Richard Thompson); Mike McGlone (Detective Solomon), Luis Guzman (Eddie Ortiz); and Arthur Holden (Bookstore clerk). While this film provides for some real gut wrenching reactions, it is not `The Silence of the Lambs.' On a dark night, however, when you're alone in your living room with nothing but the flickering of the television and the wind howling outside, it'll do. I rate this one 7/10.

Page 1 of 39:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Add another review

Related Links