Cast: Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, Mike McGlone, Luis Guzmán, Leland Orser, Ed O'Neill
Director: Phillip Noyce
Producers: Martin Bregman, Michael Scott Bregman, Louis A. Stroller
Screenplay: Jeremy Iacone, based on the book by Jeffery Deaver
Cinematography: Dean Semler
Music: Craig Armstrong
U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures
The Bone Collector is a dark mystery/thriller that takes its characters and its audience on a twisted trek into benighted venues and disused tunnels where the sun has never shone. For those who thought Bringing Out the Dead's portrait of New York City was gloomy, The Bone Collector does it one better, turning the city into a nightmarish, gothic territory where an almost overpowering sense of evil can be felt around every corner. Director Phillip Noyce, best known for helming the two Harrison Ford/Tom Clancy films (Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger), opts to follow in David Fincher's footsteps. Those who have seen Seven will recognize the similarities - pervasive shadows, few daytime shots, and some interesting camera angles. The technique is used to develop a growing sense of menace, and is effective to that end. Seven did it better, but Noyce's adoption of the approach is far from amateurish. Accompanied by cinematographer Dean Semler (who, ironically, is best known for lensing Dances with Wolves, which, in terms of style, is a polar opposite to this film), Noyce uses atmosphere to generate tension.
Movies about serial killers can easily turn exploitative, titillating viewers with graphic displays of blood and gore. The Bone Collector, which is based on the novel by Jeffery Deaver, does not belong in that category; Noyce's intention is not for us to revel in the murderer's activities, but to be repulsed by them. So, as in Seven, the deaths are presented as grotesque horrors. The camera does not flinch from showing the dead bodies, but neither does it linger over them. There's no doubt that some viewers will have difficulty coping with The Bone Collector's images; even hardened movie goers may find themselves disturbed by one or two of the killer's more inventive methods of dispatching his victims.
Police detective Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is widely considered to be a genius of forensic science. He literally wrote the book on examining crime scenes - it's required reading for anyone making their way through the NYC police academy. During his heyday, Rhyme was called on as an expert witness in hundreds of trials and he is said to have investigated about half the crime scenes in the city. He was an obsessive worker without friends and family. Then, four years ago, a tragic accident all but ended his career. In its aftermath, he is paralyzed and bedridden, able only to use one finger and everything above the shoulders. Rhyme is also subject to seizures that leave him fighting for breath and threaten to reduce him to a mental vegetable. Although he is still officially a member of the force, his former colleagues have predominantly left him alone - until a new, troubling case forces them to seek his help.
This case concerns the murder of a wealthy, powerful New York City businessman, whose half-buried body was discovered near a railroad track. The patrolwoman responding to the call, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), used a disposable camera to photograph the crime scene before an approaching rainstorm washed away the evidence. Rhyme, after looking at her handiwork, decides that she has a "natural talent for forensics," and wants her on the case. She is reluctant, but orders force her to join Rhyme's team and work as his eyes and ears. As the investigation progresses and the police race to stop the killer, Amelia is sent out with the crime scene officers, and, wearing a headset that connects her to the bedridden Rhyme, follows his instructions until one of them becomes too disturbing for her to cope with.
Despite its grim and explicit nature, The Bone Collector contains a strong element of the old-fashioned detective mystery story. And, as is often the case in such yarns, there are some astounding leaps in logic. Throughout the picture, Rhyme lies immobile in bed, puzzling over clues and attempting to determine where the killer is going to strike next. There's more than a little Sherlock Holmes in his makeup, and his rival is the perfect Moriarty - intelligent, demented, and dangerous. Seen from this perspective, Amelia could almost be considered Rhyme's Doctor Watson.
Of course, the relationship between Rhyme and Amelia is more complex than that of Holmes and Watson. It's also considerably deeper than the typical mentor/student bond. In a tangible way, these two complete each other. Rhyme provides the experience and balance; Amelia contributes the energy and mobility. Each also sees the other as a source of redemption. Through Amelia, Rhyme is able to involve himself in the world again. Instead of lying in bed contemplating euthanasia, he becomes re-invigorated. Amelia, on the other hand, discovers what was missing from her life, and is able to come to grips with a secret in her past. Both characters hold the keys to unlock something important in the other.
A few aspects of The Bone Collector keep it from attaining the top level for thrillers. First and foremost, the film contains a few too many plot holes for the Hitchcockian attention to atmosphere and suspense to obfuscate entirely. One character, the boorish Captain Cheney (Michael Rooker), has been included for no reason other than to throw obstacles in Rhyme's path. He's a flat, one-dimensional individual with minimal intelligence and no redeeming qualities. In short, he belongs in a far less interesting film. The ending, complete with a "talking killer" scene (where the unmasked villain carefully explains everything to the supposedly incapacitated hero), is over-the-top and not really worthy of the material that leads up to it.
For Denzel Washington, this part is physically demanding since it requires that he spend most of the film lying immobile in a bed. His personality is developed through dialogue and facial expressions; there's no body language to help out. It's a solid performance, but not a great one. Of more interest is Angelina Jolie, who allowed the makeup department to diminish her attractiveness and sex appeal (both of which were clearly displayed in Pushing Tin) in favor of a more severe look. The actress is effective in conveying Amelia's mercurial nature as she grapples with more than one demon, and her chemistry with Washington is palpable. Queen Latifa (as Rhyme's nurse) and Luis Guzman (as a cop pal) have scene-stealing secondary roles.
In addition to the Sherlock Holmes and Seven influences, The Bone Collector boasts more than a passing connection to Rear Window. The claustrophobic sense of being trapped and powerless is an important aspect of the film's success. This is most evident in Rhyme's situation, but it is echoed on a larger scale when the police are rendered impotent. In one scene, the cops locate a victim while she is still conscious and breathing, but they are unable to reach her before an explosive blast of steam scalds her to death. It's a chilling moment, and not the only one that Noyce offers (he also throws a couple of cheap scares our way). Overall, the atmosphere and suspense, coupled with strong lead performances and an interesting central relationship, allow The Bone Collector to work despite a storyline that no one would consider airtight.
© 1999 James Berardinelli