O Colecionador de Ossos

The best parts of this movie are the actors and the suspense. Good performances, especially by Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, and a suspenseful atmosphere highlighted an otherwise routine thriller. The twist of the main character being a quadraplegic was also a plus.

You might like the book better. It provides more insight into the characters and storylines.

*** out of ****

I am fully aware of the fact that most film critics here in the United States did not approve very highly of the 1999 Denzel Washington film "The Bone Collector". But despite the fact that only twenty-eight percent of them would agree with me, I think that "The Bone Collector" is a well-made mystery thriller with solid performances, especially toward Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, a good plot, great tension, and a well-executed story.

Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington plays a quadriplegic detective who is asked to help with an investigation dealing with a serial killer operating in New York. He appoints a rather reluctant female detective played by Angelina Jolie to lead the investigation outside his hospital room since he cannot walk himself. He communicates with her through radio, giving her hints and tactics as they try to figure out who the killer is, who he will strike next, and how they can stop him.

Yes, this plot is one that has been reused many times and this yet another case. But just because you reuse a plot does not mean the end product is going to be horrible and not entertaining. I myself enjoyed "The Bone Collector" and did not find one scene where I was bored, even though I had a pretty good idea on what was going to happen next. It gets a strong rating for its performances, action scenes, and good general entertainment value.

The Bone Collector

The serial-killer genre received a big boost over a decade ago when 'The Silence of the Lambs' was released; Hannibal Lector himself spawned a newfound interest in not the slasher genre of the eighties, but of the psychological slashers.

Unfortunately, like all movies and their genres, they simply get…old. I'm tired of serial killer movies that try to cash in on the success of 'The Silence of the Lambs.' We've had countless films over the years since 'Silence' that are just tragic rehashes of each other with predictable and ridiculous endings.

Now we have 'The Bone Collector,' another typical 'psychological thriller' brought to life by a great cast and director.

Angelina Jolie plays the cop-on-the-streets who discovers a corpse next to a railroad. She immediately sparks interest in herself as the chief of police starts watching over her more, and a paraplegic man named Lincoln (Denzel Washington) summons her to his home to ask her a simple question.

Washington wants Jolie to help him catch the killer.

Denzel Washington plays Lincoln, a man who used to be big but is now immobile. His only moveable joint below his neck is a single finger, which he uses to click a computer mouse by his bed. He is watched over by Queen Latifah, a caring woman, sure, but not exactly loving.

'The Bone Collector,' based on the novel of the same name by Jeffery Deaver, could easily have slipped into the average slot, but because of a great cast, is just good enough to recommend. There are some gut-wrenching scenes in 'The Bone Collector,' but then there are some scenes (including the end) that recede into the stereotypical psychological thriller.

Director Phillip Noyce uses some great shadowing and a dark, moody atmosphere to bring the surroundings of his film to life. Exterior shots are dark and withdrawn, and interior shots are almost brighter. It is as if the darkness symbolizes the chemistry in the characters. The more Denzel talks to Jolie the brighter the room gets; when they are outside it is darker. Why? Because she doesn't know anyone outside. It is as if the surroundings are tailored around her character's emotions. She's happy, it's bright. She sad, it's dark. Etc…

All in all, I was going to give 'The Bone Collector' a higher recommendation than three stars before I saw the ending, but it turned out to be quite ridiculous and average; plus, it was very predictable. I guessed it before it happened.

3/5 stars –

John Ulmer

A bed ridden, paraplegic NYC detective, Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington), teams up with a rookie cop named Amelia (Angelina Jolie) to try and catch a serial killer, in this dark, moody atmospheric thriller from Director Phillip Noyce. This is a fine thriller.

From the get-go viewers understand that an intelligent maniac is on the loose, and could strike at any time. That is the very definition of cinematic tension. In addition, the killer uses dark, subterranean spaces to torture and kill victims. That inky darkness, together with a haunting musical score further amplifies suspense.

But, the solution to the whodunit puzzle is ultimately unsatisfying because the screenwriter withholds important back-story from viewers. This could have been so easily fixed with the addition of a line or two of dialogue and/or a brief added scene near the film's beginning. Even so, good plot misdirection creates ample red herrings, so that the killer's identity is not a foregone conclusion.

The film's cinematography, production design, and editing are fine. Washington does a good job as the paralyzed cop. But Angelina Jolie is miscast; she pouts her way through the film looking like she's bored out of her mind. The support cast helps a lot, with highly credible performances from delightful Queen Latifah, capable Ed O'Neill, and reliable Michael Rooker.

The crime scenes tended unfortunately to be in-your-face grizzly. But at least the gore quotient was minimal.

For dark, moody serial killer films set in NYC, I prefer "Sea Of Love" (1989). Nevertheless, "The Bone Collector" can be enjoyed for its elevated level of suspense, its fine cinematography, and its generally high level of acting. Be advised, however, that the film's finale may be a disappointment if you expect all the whodunit puzzle pieces to fall into place, neat and tidy.

Denzel Washington plays a former cop who is injured in the line of duty and becomes a crime scene investigator and expert witness in the service of law firms. Angelina Jolie plays a cop who is struggling to find a place within a male-dominated police culture, and shows a talent for crime scene investigation, which Denzel's character immediately recognizes and appreciates, since he is bedridden and physically unable to go to most crime scenes. She is reluctant to get involved, but does wind up grudgingly serving as his eyes and ears as they try to follow clues left by a serial killer who gives clues about his next victims and taunts them and the police.

While Denzel's character is almost too brilliant to be believable, if you can overlook that you should thoroughly enjoy this movie. Denzel and Angelina, together with cops of varying competence, try to follow the clues given to them by the serial killer, who gives them clues before the killing actually occurs.

Most people who enjoy a dark, suspenseful movie (such as Silence of the Lambs) should thoroughly enjoy this movie.