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Cast: Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn, Jay O.
Sanders, Bill Nunn, Brian Cox,
Alex McArthur, Richard T. Jones, Jeremy Piven, William Converse-Roberts,
Gina Ravera
Director: Gary Fleder
Producers: David Brown and Joe Wizan
Screenplay: David Klass, based on the novel by James Patterson
Cinematography: Aaron Schneider
Music: Mark Isham
UK Distributor: Paramount Pictures
When Dr Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman), a Washington DC police detective and forensic psychologist, learns that his niece has disappeared from college in North Carolina, an apparent kidnapping victim, he heads for the town of Durham to conduct his own investigation.
Out of his jurisdiction, Cross defies local law enforcement officials as he plunges ahead in his investigation using his extraordinary expertise in deductive reasoning.
Cross is helped in his pursuit by Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd), a strong- willed and determined young doctor who has information vital to unravelling the mystery. She joins him in the hunt, and together they race against time to find Cross' niece and the chilling truth behind her disappearance.
Freeman is back in the same territory he explored in Seven - albeit with darker hair which makes him look about 20 years younger. Namely a serial killer is on the loose and he's the good guy hired to track him down.
Drawing a clear distinction between Alex Cross and his previous incarnation as William Somerset, the actor states, ÒCross is more physical and aggressive. He actually gets a kick out of gunplay, is good at it and won't hesitate to shoot. I enjoyed the fact that the film is a mystery thriller with plenty of action."
Based on the best selling novel by James Patterson, the film's supporting stars include one of Hollywood's favourite rent-a-Brits, Cary Elwes and Manhunter's Brian Cox, a Scots actor of great range but, sadly, forever typecast (in Hollywood) as ill-fated supporting characters.
Some critics may argue KTG is not as polished as Freeman's similar turn in Seven, although director Gary Fleder, who also made the stylish Things To Do in Denver When You're Dead, handles the tension with bags of flair.
Let's face it, the stalk and slash genre has been all but exhausted in the last 20 years so it takes a master of their craft to bring a few new licks to the subject.
Current US smashes The Blair Witch Project and The Sixth Sense may be at the top of the critical tree but while this doesn't achieve similar greatness, director Fleder does at least have a damn good stab.
© 1999 Roger Crow
