The Bone Collector (1999)

There's a serial killer around New York city going around murdering people in increasingly bizarre ways while also leaving increasingly minute details behind as clues.  Denzel Washington plays the brilliant criminologist Lincoln Rhymes who has been paralyzed from the neck down but can still solve clues while bedridden and Angelina Jolie plays Amelia, a plucky young beat cop-former model with a natural eye for forensics and...yada yada yada...they team up to catch the killer.  Directed by Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm, Clear and Present Danger, Sliver), this would end up be the last of SEVERAL thrillers released throughout the 1990's focusing on the hunt for a serial killer.  And while it might not hold up to the best (The Silence of the Lambs, Se7en) within this subgenre, it IS somewhat elevated by a stacked cast lead by Denzel and Angelina, also including Ed O'Neil, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, Luis Guzman, and Leland Orser.

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Transcript

THE BONE COLLECTOR – 1999

Directed by Phillip Noyce

Starring Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Michael Rooker, Queen Latifah, Michael McGlone, Luis Guzman, John Benjamin Hickey, Ed O’Neill, Bobby Cannavale, and Leland Orser

Genre: Serial Killer Thriller (Audio clip)

Being in both a Denzel AND Jolie mood, it felt like the right time to revisit this serial crime thriller from the late '90's - this film was directed by Phillip Noyce who had a nice run pretty watchable thrillers during this decade starting with Dead Calm and including two Jack Ryan sequels. And this film also provides compelling evidence for how movie star charisma and taut direction can overcome a ridiculous story. :) 

This overall plot seemed kinda silly back in '99 and seems even sillier now: there's a serial killer around New York city going around murdering people in increasingly bizarre ways while also leaving increasingly minute details behind as clues....and most of these clues are not even decipherable without extremely advanced "zoom in and enhance" technology which is STILL even a stretch by today's technological standards. Denzel plays the brilliant criminologist Lincoln Rhymes who has been paralyzed from the neck down but can still solve clues while bedridden and Jolie plays Amelia, a plucky young beat cop-former model (one of the more clever aspects of this screenplay that they even acknowledge this) with a natural eye for forensics and...yada yada yada...they team up to catch the killer. And along the way, the killer finds increasingly sympathetic victims to kidnap and kill....and where this murder mystery concludes…..well it’s pretty silly.

And yet I enjoy this movie - it's a real showcase for Denzel for sure as he is pretty much stationary for the entire runtime and still effectively runs the gamut of emotions despite not even being to use several mannerisms from his typical bag of tricks like the forceful clap or the John Wayne-like strut. ;) It's all in his face and his voice as you can often see him wincing in pain while fiercely going through clues to stop these murders from occurring real-time. When you've got such a great face, you gotta use it...and speaking of amazing faces...

Angelina Jolie is a nice (albeit a bit young) foil for him as you just can't look away from her either. Not only because she looks jaw-droppingly gorgeous in this thing but because she brings a genuine intelligence and sympathy to a character who is introduced into some genuinely horrifying settings (the crime scenes) - Jolie does a nice job of showing how her character is clearly scared of this stuff but also works to overcome that fear through sheer will. 

And that brings us back to Noyce who is truly a master manipulator by getting us to care so much about these characters along with the threat they are trying to stop - like I said above, the murder narrative which drives this film does NOT hold up to any kind of logical scrutiny but it is crafted so expertly and paced so briskly that he makes it work. He draws EVERY ounce of tension and emotion possible from this tale....and with just the right combination of stars, what results is a genuinely rewatchable thriller.

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

Lincoln’s overall story becomes quite increasingly touching and his relationship with Amelia – who of course grows to care about him – becomes the heart of the story.  SO much to the point where I have always found myself genuinely moved with the resolution of both their characters at the end of this story.  It’s very much a sweet Christmas ending even….if you let it, it will catch you off-guard, even get you a bit choked up. (Audio clip) 

And of course what helps to sell the emotion as much as their performances is the choice of song to close out the movie.  SERIOUSLY this ending just by itself probably raises the movie up half a star.  An unexpected brief reunion between siblings, wishing each other Merry Christmas, Amelia putting her hand on Lincolns, both leads (who both LOOK fantastic by the way) giving each other warm smiles….and of course, playing the lovely "Don't Give Up" from Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush as the end credits kick in as the camera pulls out into the Manhattan night.  Those slowly building piano notes, Peter crooning, and then Kate tender vocals kicking in with the chorus…..HONESTLY you will never see a more life-affirming ending to a serial killer thriller. (Audio clip)   

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film):

SPOILER ALERT…..for an almost 25 year old mind you

This movie has a positively STACKED cast of excellent character actors and….let’s just say that they’re not all utilized in the best manner.  Now I’m going to delve into the ending here so be warned….

Considering that this was two years after her breakout performance in heist thriller Set It Off, Queen Latifah is pretty overqualified for the role of Thelma who is Lincoln’s caretaker….she gets a couple of good moments helping him to solve the mystery and also providing emotional support but sorry….come one….did she REALLY have to get stabbed at the outset of the climax?  And if that wasn’t bad enough, they even show this in the trailer….just kind of doing her character dirty if you ask me.

AND as far as I’m concerned if you want to show a character being murdered to kick off the climax, having Thelma killed too is kind of redundant because we also see the bloodied corpse of Michael Rooker’s Captain Howard in the hallway….hey I can enjoy Rooker playing dicks as much as the next guy but his character in this completely one-note and is pretty much entirely set up as a Red Herring….because it’s revealed that HE was not the killer.

Finally, the actual killer is the tech orderly Richard played by Leland Orser.  Ok just a few years after his VERY memorable appearance in the movie Se7en, this casting makes sense….Orser has always been adept at playing unhinged, and he is here.  However as far as I can tell, he appears only briefly in one earlier scene, there’s no communication between him and Lincoln, and so his character appearing like this with this revealed motivation….it feels pretty random.  I just would have like a bit more context….and as effective as Orser is in this pretty intense showdown between him Denzel, he is unfortunately saddled with just ONE ridiculous line – not bad enough to sink the climax but it’s goofy as hell. (Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

What is likely the film’s most terrifying and disturbing sequence occurs about a half hour into the movie and what’s also important is that this is the FIRST time where Lincoln and Amelia have technically teamed up with her out in the field in constant communication with him…..through some sharp detective work arising from clues left from the PREVIOUS victim, they have located one potential victim who has been chained underground in front of a steam pipe which is about to go off…..only they can’t get to her. (Audio clip) 

This is a genuinely tense and terrifying sequence….and gratefully we don’t see THAT much of the aftermath, just the reactions from our protagonists.  It’s a strong setpiece and definitely sets the stakes for the remainder of what’s to come. (Audio clip) 

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

This movie is the TEXTBOOK DEFINITION of a satisfying star vehicle.  You see for as much as we love our movie stars, we have to often admit that they don’t always pick the best projects….not every script nor potential role is gonna be gold.  And I’m fairly confident that was the case here…..by ’99 after a decade with some TRULY masterpiece-level serial killer thrillers LIKE Se7en and Silence of the Lambs….along with several decidedly weaker ones LIKE Kiss the Girls, Copycat, Nightwatch, and yes….sorry to say Spike….but Summer of Sam was ultimately a disappointment…we had seen it all from this subgenre.  And on paper, this one was about as silly as any of them…

And yet thanks to having two top flight stars leading it – both looking good, giving strong performances – they simply make it better and even if we’re not always following and/or completely BUYING the overall plot, we STILL care about their characters.  For pulling that with genuine aplomb elevating this film’s story, Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie are your CO-MVP’s. (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 

If you’re looking for a tense and entertaining ‘90’s chiller to curl up on the couch and watch JUST in time for Halloween….AND you’ve already rewatched Seven or ‘Lambs recently…..then consider this a solid recommendation. 

Streaming on Apple TV Plus & Starz

And that ends another CARROT….OR ZUCCHINI  review!