Alex Cross (2012)

Link: Alex Cross

Summary: A man solves a crime. It’s that exciting.

Thoughts: This film provides a great example of atrocious characterization. Right from the beginning, we are given no reason to empathize with the main character. Two big characterization problems: 1. He is portrayed as being just about perfect. He’s happy with everything and everyone is happy with him. There’s no reason to empathize with him because he’s never struggles with anything. Which leads us to: 2. He has no real goal. He just wants to stop the bad because that’s his job. That’s hardly a captivating motivation. Things change half-way through the movie when a tragedy makes things personal, but by then it’s too late, by then we really don’t care. And even then the stakes and the character’s motivations remain bland. He just wants revenge because the villain is just so evil! Add to this a convoluted backstory to explain the crimes and a shaky camera (why are shaky cameras still in style?) and we have a truly terrible film experience.

The only good thing I can think of is a clever bit of suspense in one scene. A man is driving a car and we know another car will crash into it at any moment. We know its coming, but we have to wait for it. Fun little bit.