Taking Lives (2003)

Angelina Jolie is an FBI profiler summoned by the agency to help track down a serial killer, who is assuming the identity of their victims. Based on the 1999 Michael Pye novel of the same name, D.J Caruso's adaptation displays a proficient Jolie alongside Ethan Hawke and Kiefer Sutherland, so we're not short of A-list actors here.

The problem is that Taking Lives is desperately dull, meandering from one scene to the next whilst we sit there assuming that the 'twist' that's inevitably coming can't possibly be the one that's nailed on from the opening fifteen minutes.

Alas, our fate is sealed during a steamy sex scene which, whilst perfectly well played, sticks out a mile as if to scream to the audience "Look! Look at how important this is!" and comes way too far into the film, resulting in the confirmation of no alternative or indeed interesting ending that we'd been hoping for.

There is a particularly nasty act of violence in the film's final scene, that, though despicable, at least offers the audience an emotional reaction, but even that is immediately taken away; it's revealed as a fake out, that may well achieve a much better reaction in the novel, but here simply allowed me a final roll of the eyes before the credits roll.

There's nothing wrong with the performances, it's the rest of Taking Lives that takes up far too much of your own. 3.7/10