Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Recruited to assist Montreal police in their desperate search for a serial killer who assumes the identities of his victims, FBI profiler Illeana Scott knows it's only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. Her most promising lead is a museum employee who might be the killer's only eyewitness.
Taking Lives is a competent but formulaic serial killer thriller that hits familiar genre beats without distinguishing itself. The plot has a reasonably engaging setup with the identity-theft killer concept, but the twist ending is telegraphed and undermines the film's credibility on reflection. Angelina Jolie delivers a solid if unremarkable performance as the FBI profiler, and Ethan Hawke is serviceable in his role. The Montreal setting provides some atmospheric cinematography with decent wintry visuals, though nothing especially memorable. The film treads well-worn serial killer procedural territory without bringing a distinctive voice or fresh perspective—it feels like a mid-tier entry in the post-Silence of the Lambs thriller wave. The ending's twist, while aiming for a jolt, comes across as contrived and implausible, leaving audiences more frustrated than thrilled.