Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Lincoln Rhyme was the department's top homicide detective and leading expert in criminal forensics until an injury left him paralyzed, depressed, and incapable of working. But when a gruesome murder in Manhattan leaves detectives baffled, they call on Rhyme to help solve the mystery. Amelia Donaghy, a rookie cop whose quick thinking preserved a gruesome murder scene, is enlisted by Rhyme to be his on-the-scene forensics expert. With Amelia reluctantly acting as Rhyme's able-bodied go-between, the pair piece together cryptic clues the killer leaves behind at the scene of the crime, hoping to catch the grisly serial killer.
The Bone Collector is a competent but formulaic serial killer thriller. Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie bring genuine screen presence and elevate the material, keeping acting solidly above average. The plot follows a well-worn procedural template with cryptic clues leading investigators to the killer — functional but derivative of the genre. Cinematography is serviceable with some moody New York atmosphere but nothing particularly distinctive. The film's central hook of a quadriplegic detective directing a rookie cop offers mild novelty, but the broader execution feels recycled from countless serial killer films of the era. The ending reveals a somewhat contrived and underwhelming killer identity that fails to deliver a satisfying payoff, a common criticism of the film.