Rami Ungar The Writer

AFTER KISS THE GIRLS, EVERYBODY FORGOT HOW TO MAKE A GOOD ALEX CROSS FILM!
That’s my opinion, anyway. I watched the film, and it was not the movie I’d been looking forward to seeing. Let me start with the liberties taken with the movie:

First, there were some liberties I could deal with: the kids being preteens when their mother is shot instead of being babies like in the book; a plot not based on anything James Patterson wrote; and even that James Sullivan aka the Butcher aka Picasso, was so changed from the book to the movie he was an entirely different character. However, there were others I couldn’t: like first, the location of the movie is Detroit instead of Washington DC. No offense to Detroit, but part of the fun of the books is that when the plot takes place in DC, you’ve got politicians, government agencies, and so much sleaze you need a raincoat on a sunny day just to avoid it all. There’s not enough of that in Detroit. Second, Alex Cross’s partner is not the humongous, African-American, tough-but-sweet John “Two-John” Sampson but by a fast-talking white guy named Tommy Kane. Seriously, what’s wrong with two black cops working together, huh? It just seems wrong not to feature Alex’s partner-of-choice from the books. And finally, what’s with Alex going rogue cop? He doesn’t do that in the books until Kill Alex Cross, and only in the hopes of saving the President’s kids! I was seriously upset by how the filmmakers made the noble Dragonslayer of the books into an easily-corruptible man for a movie!

However, there were some good points, I do admit. For instance, Tyler Perry is not what I imagined Alex Cross to be (I see Alex more like Denzel Washington in my head, with a less prominent forehead), but he does a good job playing the character. Just needs a better screenwriter. And Cicely Tyson, while not looking like my conception of Nana Mama, does a very good impression of her, being strict but sweet. And Matthew Fox as Picasso, now that was a piece of work. Very nice psychopath, I’m impressed.

All told, I give this film a 2.8 out of 5. Let’s hope that when the sequel they’re making, Double Cross, comes out, they do a better job. After all, Double Cross is a great book, but there are so many ways the filmmakers could mess it up in the making it, especially with all the liberties they’ll have to take with it!

And speaking of sequels, the new Alex Cross book, Merry Christmas Alex Cross, is due out next month. I’m looking forward to it, though I hope it’s not a disappointment like this movie, or like the new book’s predecessor, Kill Alex Cross; now that was a disappointment!