Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After the harrowing death of his partner, forensic psychologist and best-selling author Alex Cross cannot forgive himself and has retreated to the peace of retirement. But when a brilliant criminal kidnaps a senator's young daughter, he is lured back into action as the kidnapper wants to deal with Alex personally. Teamed with Jezzie Flanigan, the Secret Service agent assigned to protect the missing girl, Alex follows a serpentine trail of clues that leads him to a stunning discovery - the kidnapper wants more than just ransom.
Along Came a Spider is a competent but unremarkable adaptation of James Patterson's Alex Cross novel. Morgan Freeman brings his reliable gravitas to the role, elevating material that might otherwise feel pedestrian, and Monica Potter holds her own as his partner. The plot follows a reasonably engaging cat-and-mouse structure with a twist ending that generated some buzz, though it doesn't fully hold up to scrutiny. Cinematography is functional and workmanlike — dark, muted tones fitting the thriller genre but nothing distinctive. Novelty is low as it treads well-worn psychological thriller territory without adding much new to the formula, even recycling elements from Kiss the Girls. The ending twist is moderately satisfying if telegraphed for attentive viewers.