Along Came a Spider (2001)

A congressman's daughter under Secret Service protection is kidnapped from a private school by an insider who calls Det. Alex Cross, sucking him into the case even though he's recovering from the loss of his partner.

Director:

Lee Tamahori

Writers:

James Patterson (novel), Marc Moss (screenplay)

Stars:

Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Morgan Freeman	...	Alex Cross
Monica Potter	...	Jezzie Flannigan
Michael Wincott	...	Gary Soneji
Dylan Baker	...	Ollie McArthur
Mika Boorem	...	Megan Rose
Anton Yelchin	...	Dimitri Starodubov
Kim Hawthorne	...	Agent Hickley
Jay O. Sanders	...	Kyle Craig
Billy Burke	...	Ben Devine
Michael Moriarty	...	Senator Hank Rose
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Elizabeth Rose
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Vickie
Scott Heindl	...	Floyd the Fisherman
Christopher Shyer	...	Jim
Jill Teed	...	Tracie

Storyline

Detective/psychologist Alex Cross loses his partner in an out of control 'bust.' He stops working and cannot forgive himself. He is drawn back to work reluctantly when a senator's daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper seems to want to deal with Alex personally.

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Plot Keywords:

school | partner | secret service | kidnapping | psychopath | 

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Taglines:

The game is far from over.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

USA Germany Canada

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

6 April 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Telaraña

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,155,221 (Italy) (26 October 2001)

Gross:

$1,155,221 (Italy) (26 October 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, David Brown Productions, Phase 1 Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX DTS-ES

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was made after Kiss the Girls. But in the books, "Along Came a Spider" was set before "Kiss the Girls".

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Goofs

When Cross enters Union Station, the caller tells him to get on "the Metro", which is the common term for the Washington DC subway system. A few scenes later, a news reporter refers incorrectly to the subway system as "the MTA".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Tracie: Tonight was your first night at the club, wasn't it?
Jim: No. I've been there a few times before.
Tracie: Really? Well, how come I haven't seen you?
Jim: I noticed you the first night I walked in. You always stand out.

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Crazy Credits

The final two characters listed are Man Who Can't Answer Phone Potentially Evil Guy On Train

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Connections

Featured in The Making of 'Along Came a Spider' (2001)

User Reviews

Underrated. 7 of 10.

The plot starts out in a very straight-forward manner: a man with an ambition to become criminal legend kidnaps the daughter of a congressman right out from under the nose of the FBI. He then sends a note and a sneaker of the girl to Detective Alex Cross, hence forcing him out of his self-inflicted isolation, the reasons of which are explained in the opening scene. Along with the FBI agent who was in charge of security at the scene of the crime, he follows the clues laid out by the kidnapper in order to find the girl. And so the story goes.

The kidnapper is portrayed by the always formidable Michael Wincott, the best serial villain on that side of the Atlantic. He should have the Best Supporting Role awards piled up in his attic. Alex Cross, whom we remember from "Kiss the Girls", and portrayed by Morgan Freeman, is just the kind of cop you like best: sincere, sympathetic, intelligent, thorough and committed. Monica Potter features as the FBI agent determined to redeem herself after she let the kidnapper escape.

This may not be a blockbuster, but this solid and underrated thriller delivers what so few of them have to offer these days: a final plot twist that genuinely surprises. It shall not be revealed here.