The Watcher

A prevailing thought while viewing The Watcher was that Keanu Reeves is an odd choice to play a lone wolf serial killer, but he actually suits it pretty well. The film itself is muddy and middle of the road, pitting haggard big city cop James Spader against Reeves's beast who takes extreme pleasure in taunting him at every turn. This gets so bad that poor Spader has a breakdown, loses all hope and moves to a different city half across the country. Reeves just can't seem to quit the game though, and follows him right over there for more murderous shenanigans. It's your classic 90's cop vs. killer tale, and for the most part it's not bad. The bleak, nocturnal nightscapes help Reeves creep around and nab his victims as well as provide an oppressive urban atmosphere. It's nice to see casting like this as far as the villain is concerned; so often these killers are played by eccentric, freaky looking character actors or go-to antagonist players, but by casting a golden boy leading man like Keanu they've upturned the trend and made the character more striking. Also, a chiselled babe like him is far more likely to believably lure off girls than some wild eyed, Gary Busey type you'd usually find here. Points for that too. The additional players add class, including Chris Ellis, Ernie Hudson and Marisa Tomei. This one won't go down in history simply because it's in dime-a-dozen territory. There's just too too many cop/killer films from back then, and if one of them doesn't have a key quality to make it stick and endure, it'll fade into obscurity, like Reeves receding back into the inky night after a fresh kill. It's not bad in itself though, if mostly just for him and the urban ambiance he stalks through.

Joel Campbell (James Spader) and David Griffin (Keanu Reeves) are like binary stars that revolve around a common center of gravity. Each man needs the other for a sense of identity. They function as a single entity, even though their motives are in moral opposition. Actually, it's a rather tired film concept.

In Chicago, Campbell introduces the story premise about serial killer Griffin who preys on young women, and uses his killings as a game to be played out with Campbell, who has no choice but to participate. The film's structure relies on tons of flashbacks to Campbell's previous involvement with the killer in California.

The main problem here is that the film's plot depends on multiple film clichés. You've got your standard police chase scenes with flashing lights and screeching tires. You've got your standard melodramatic TV news, repeated over and over and over. You've got a killer who can miraculously overcome every obstacle thrown at him. The film's final twenty minutes are nothing but a string of cinematic clichés.

You get the feeling that the filmmakers used a tried-and-true money making film concept as a template, hurriedly wrote a script, then attached well-known box-office actors to rev up the financial bottom line, for quick megabucks. If that was their plan, I don't think it worked. For many viewers, including myself, the film comes across as stale, insipid, and uninspired.

The acting is not convincing. Both James Spader and Keanu Reeves sleepwalk through their roles, emotionally uninvolved. The casting of lovely Marisa Tomei as a psychiatrist is not credible, in a role meant for an older intellectual. But, of course, as a beautiful young woman, Tomei fits in nicely as a handy target for the killer. And the film's contemporary pumped up rock music I found irritating and distracting. The color cinematography is adequate, if conventional.

"The Watcher" is just one more cop and killer movie in a saturated genre. The film has nothing new or original to offer viewers. Maybe the two lead actors will be a tad more discerning next time when they select screenplay roles.

A thrilling and nail-biting movie that falls little by little , resulting to be more vapid, unexciting and pointless over and over . Retired FBI Special Agent Joel Campbell : James Spader, lives in Chicago, where he is struggling to come to terms with his failure to capture a serial killer back when he was working in Los Angeles . Campbell attends therapy sessions with Dr. Polly Beilman : Marisa Tomei , but otherwise has no other friends or social life. Then the serial killer , voyeuristic strangler Keanu Reeves following the burnt-out Spader to Chicago and resumes his grisly activities , as he believes that they have a vitalising Yin and Yang type relationship , so he starts sending Spader photos of his intented victims , 24 hours in advance . Along the way, Spader takes the bait , cleans up his act and discovers new meaning in his life . Leaves clues for burned-out FBI agent Spader as to who his next victim will be so Spader will get back in the game ! . Don't go home alone !. Someone wants to play !.

Based on on the regular premise about a serial killer , whose obsession is with their victims , as the serial murderer has resurrected sending him pictures of his next victim , also like to play cat and mouse games with the cop . It begins with a direct-to-video feel , adding a story cribbed from ordinary serial killer thrillers , throw in a bunch of glimmer visual effects and Keanu's hysterical line readings and you've got a night of talking back to the TV usual style . A predictable and unpleasant action movie in which the same situations are repeated over and over . It is ridiculous enough , but that's half the fun. So-so interpretations from Keanu Reeves overacting as a nasty series murderer , James Spader as the haunted ex-cop and Marisa Tomei as the lonely shrink who unwittingly offers psychoanalitic solace to both cop and killer .

Veteran cinematographer Michael Chapman gives unearned class to the environment , though providing a very dark and sinister atmosphere . While expert composer Marco Beltrani attempts to crank up the intrigue and suspense level . The motion picture was regular but professionally directed by Joe Charbanic , as he directs with penchant for MTV style flashbacks and shaky-cam murderer's eye shots merely induce headaches . Joe is a producer and director, known for Haunted Ship and Lost and Found and this his film debut : The watcher (2000). Rating : 4.5/10. Average , only for hardcore fans of the three great actors : Keanu Reeves , James Spader and Marisa Tomei.

I really wanted to like this movie. I really did. Some people don't like Keanu as an actor, but I love a lot of the movies he's done (Matrix, Street Kings, Speed, Bill & Ted, Constantine & Devil's Advocate off the top of my head). That being said, this movie could've been so much better if they had casted ANYONE ELSE as the villain. Keanu's acting style does not fit the role, and it ends up becoming a worm hole that sucks the movie down. Also, the end features a particularly horrible use of CGI (trust me, you'll know it when you see it) that would've been acceptable if it came out in the 80s or early 90s. But considering this came a few years after The Matrix, there's no excuse. I give it a 5/10 for the writing and good casting for 99% of the roles. In short, don't spend money on this one.

The relationship between the characters in the Watcher sets it apart from other serial killer movies. In fact, I would have liked another 15 minutes in the movie to bring out those relationships even more. I would have liked a little more elaboration on what happened in the past between James Spader and Keanu Reeves. Also, I wish the movie had shown part of the session between the Psychologist, played by Marisa Tomei, and the serial killer, played by Keanu Reeves. Marisa Tomei's facial reaction to Keanu Reeves' comment prior to the session was perfect. "Do clients come to see you because you are good or because you are very pretty." (Line by Reeves to Tomei - maybe not verbatum)

Keanu Reeves plays David Griffin very well. This is another example showing how Keanu Reeves can take any character and make it both believable and likeable to some extent. Both Reeves and Spader display the need for each other by the end of the film. Yes, I did detect at least a professional need by Spader for Reeves in the Watcher. So did Marisa Tomei I think. This movie had both a good balance of a crime drama, with the police and car chase scenes, and strong character development. My only complaint is like others have said on this board, I felt it was rushed.