If "Taking Lives" were any longer (it's just a shade over 100 minutes), the film might be a serious contender for the most ridiculous thriller ever made. That's because this lurid serial killer yarn actually gets more ludicrous as it goes along.
The final third, in particular, gets so preposterous that it may provoke more laughs than shudders. Although, its many implausible and downright silly plot and character developments do make it nearly impossible to figure out what's going to happen next. Maybe that was the idea.
And it does make good use of Angelina Jolie's somewhat gothic look and demeanor. She stars here as Illeana Scott, an FBI agent who's been able to successfully profile psychopathic killers. Consequently, she's been brought to Montreal by her former mentor, Hugo Leclair (Tcheky Karyo), to help his officers find a killer who apparently takes on the identity of his victims.
She gets a lucky break when art dealer James Costa (Ethan Hawke) witnesses one of the killings. He's able to provide the officers with a sketch of the suspect — and to serve as the bait when they try to draw the killer out into the open.
The film does have its strong points, D.J. Caruso's stylish direction and the fine Philip Glass score chief among them. Unfortunately, both are undercut by a script (based on Michael Pye's rather lurid best-selling novel) that strains credibility at every turn.
In fact, at one point even Jolie seems to be throwing up her hands in disbelief about some of the story progressions, especially in the way her character behaves in certain situations. And her chemistry with Hawke isn't very believable.
If that's not enough, the film also criminally underuses screen veteran Gena Rowlands, who is wasted in a go-nowhere role as the suspected murderer's mother.
"Taking Lives" is rated R for scenes of thriller violence (shootings, stabbings, vehicular violence, violence against women), graphic gore, occasional use of strong profanity and crude slang terms, simulated sex, female nudity and brief drug content (hypodermic use). Running time: 103 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com