Taking Lives is slow, very slow with a far too long exposition and to many characters, none of them to root for. It lacks momentum and feels fabricated out of disjointed parts rather than keeping the flow and sucking you, as a movie like this should do. Above that, the french dialect almost everyone is speaking affords a lot of concentration, an effort that doesn't pay off however. There are only a few meaningful dialogues, most of them between Angelina Jolie and Eathon Hawk. They are the only characters who are given enough meat to call their on screen presence a relationship - unfortunately Eathan Hawk joins the cast only after about 30 minutes; and an important dialogue that sheds light on who Angelina Jolies character is, a dialogue that awakes interest and meaning to her, comes even later. It's those two actors i give the 4.5 stars to; the story, though neat idea, would need reassembling. Let's hope for a non-directors cut. Afterthought: Lighting, Camera, Settings, these all are interesting. It would have been nice to learn early on, that we're in France - or is it Canada?
Review of Taking Lives
