The Bone Collector

	Review by Howard Anderson © 2000 Howard Anderson

Synopsis

A murderer is loose on the streets of Manhattan. A diabolical killer whose brutal slayings leave a trail of cryptic messages and bizarre puzzles hidden at the scene of the crime. And the only person who may be able to make sense of the serial killer's deranged plan is Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington), a onetime top homicide investigator. But after a tragic accident changes his life forever, Ryme can only watch as the other cops bungle the case... Until he teams up with a young rookie, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), who bravely searches out the clues that help them solve the case. But as the killer senses the cops closing in, Rhyme realizes that he and his partner are one the trail of a vicious, sadistic murderer who will stop at nothing on his deadly mission. And at any moment Rhyme and Ameila could become his next targets - and their first case could become their last. For he will strike again...

Review

Suspense thrillers of this kind have during the last decade created a kind of sub-genre, where the focus is directed towards the exploits and capture of serial killers. The films that set the standard were undoubtedly "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Se7en", and although films of that caliber are few and far between, there have still been the occasional surprise appearance of solid entries into this particular category. "Kiss the Girls" were one of those, and I'd be as bold as to claim "The Bone Collector", which is based on a best-selling novel by Jeffrey Deaver, as another. Like its predecessors, "The Bone Collector" offers up a brutally realistic look at the misdoings and motivations of a serial killer, and the subsequent attempts by investigators to track down and apprehend these deranged individuals. Still, there is one element that clearly sets "The Bone Collector" apart from the rest and gives it its own uniqueness. That element is the predicament in which the chief investigator finds himself, as Denzel Washington's character, Lincoln Rhyme, is a paraplegic. This sets the stage for quite an interesting relationship between him and Angelina Jolie's character, Ameila Donaghy, whose task it becomes to go where Rhyme can't and, under his instructions, study the various crime scenes. It also lays the foundations for a very claustrophobic feel in the best tradition of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, "Rear Window", in which Rhyme is constantly confined within his own apartment and alive only at the mercy of others.

Denzel Washington is every bit the master of his craft, and when you take into consideration how much an actor, under normal circumstances, relies upon body language to convey emotions and different states of mind, then one can only imagine the challenge that faced him in pulling off this part. A friend of mine, who have also seen the film, remarked to me the other day that when an actor is portraying such a role, there really is no in-between. You either buy the performance or you don't. As for myself, I must say that after five minutes of seeing him lying in that bed, I was sold, completely and utterly. And one more thing - When you watch Lincoln Rhyme being tormented by the seizures that might at any time turn him into a vegetable, the agony and angst that you read in his expression is simply heartwrenching - a great performance by an even greater actor.

Angelina Jolie not only has the looks, but the talent, as well. In a couple of reviews that I've read, it was stated that her portrayal of Amelia Donaghy came off as kind of two dimensional. Now, after having seen the film, that statement makes just about as much sense to me as someone still claiming that the earth is flat, or that mankind truly make up the center of the universe. Although her part may not be as much of a challenge as that of Denzel's, it is still a multifaceted role with many different layers to the character's personality. In some ways it reminds me of the performance handed in by Tom Cruise in "Rain Man", where no matter how good a job he did, Dustin Hoffman always ended up up-staging him and stealing every scene. Now, as Hoffman had by far the meatiest and most demanding role in that film, the focus upon him is only rightfully so, and I think the same basic principles apply for "The Bone Collector". Anyway, Angelina Jolie manages to give you a real sense of who Amelia Donaghy is and just what makes her tick, and in no way does she at any time come off as flat.

Queen Latifah also did a fine job as Rhyme's nurse, Thelma, and this truly marks a tremendous step up on her acting ladder. It was also great to see Ed O'Neill as something other than hapless shoesalesman, Al Bundy, and although some might have a bit of a problem seeing past his "Married... With Children" alter ego, I first noticed him in stuff like "The Dogs of War" and "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane: Rock'n Roll Detective", so I never really gave it that much thought. He did, however, deliver a sturdy performance as detective Paulie Sellitto, and shows himself as an actor with a far greater range than some give him credit for.

Director Phillip Noyce has a very distinctive visual sense, and in "The Bone Collector" it really helps to deliver the creepyness and tension of the story. At most times he keeps the camera moving, and he always infuses the screen with a rich array of colors and textures, whether it being the murky browns and blacks of a filthy and forgotten sub-basement, or the brightly lit apartment of a paralyzed investigator. Phillip Noyce knows how to make effective thrillers. From "Dead Calm" to "Clear and Present Danger". He knows how to set up a scene and give the viewer a sense of true tension in both the dialogue driven parts and the more physical and action oriented set pieces. With "The Bone Collector" he has again delivered a solid thriller with a real attention to detail.

Image

Enhance for widescreen TVs and presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, this transfer from Universal is, in lack of a better word, stunning. There is no color smearing or shimmer of any kind, and despite the fact that a lot of the action takes place at night and/or in poorly lit settings, the shadows are always well defined and the blacks remain solid throughout. The image also has a great deal of depth to it, and from the strikingly clear definition of the vast cityscape of New York, to the individual drops of falling rain on a darkened night, it is all rendered perfectly.

Sound

The DTS 5.1 track will leave you more than just a bit shaken and stirred by its immense strength and clarity, and not to mention its amazing and sweeping width. In comparison, the Dolby Digital 5.1 track comes off as much flatter and lifeless, and not nearly as powerful and all-enveloping as the DTS 5.1 track. Usually DTS tracks have an amazing capacity that surpasses Dolby Digital to completely fill the room and bridge the gap between speakers, especially the phantom zones between the front and center channels, and "The Bone Collector" is no exception. The dialogue is also used widely, and can often be heard coming from the left and right front speakers as well as the center, and throughout the film the dialogue remains as sharp as a razor. The LFE channel is also given a lot more to do on the DTS track, and it also packs a cleaner and more powerful bass. Now, the Dolby Digital 5.1 track is by no means bad. It is actually quite good. But when compared to the DTS track it just doesn't stand a chance in this case. Which, by the way, is most often the outcome when comparing the two.

Features

Despite the dual DTS/Dolby Digital 5.1 sound encoding, "The Bone Collector" still comes with some great extra features. The audio commentary track by Phillip Noyce is informative and make for an interesting listen, and there's a Spotlight on Location documentary, called "The Bone Collector: A Collection of Stories", which is nicely put together, featuring behind the scenes footage and interviews with the actors and filmmakers. There is also the usual production notes and cast & crew biographies, the original theatrical trailer, a Universal Showcase, and DVD ROM features.

Overall Opinion

This a suspenseful thriller with an engaging and intelligent plot, and Director Phillip Noyce has crafted a movie that is sure to have you on the edge of your seat at least a couple of times during the viewing. It's not quite up there with the likes of "Se7en", but then very, very few films are. The DVD is awesome, and what really sets it apart from so many other releases, is the DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. It's great to see this becoming a more and more utilized feature, especially on films of this nature, where the sound plays such an important role. "The Bone Collector" is a film that I am proud to add to my collection. A great thriller with great actors, presented on a great DVD.