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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 9409
Released: September 25, 2001 |
| Our Price: $2.99 |
| Used Price: $0.84 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Detective Alex Cross and secret service agent Jezzie Flannigan search for a congressman's kidnapped daughter.
Genre: Suspense
Rating: R
Release Date: 8-AUG-2006
Media Type: DVD
Description of Along Came a Spider:
After an obligatory prologue in which its detective hero suffers a tragic professional setback, Along Came a Spider sets about its business of luring the viewer into its nefarious plot, relying on the magician's technique of misdirection to reveal a double-whammy surprise. The clever, late-coming plot twist is a bit too mechanical but effectively unexpected, making this a satisfying prequel to the hit thriller Kiss the Girls--based on the first of James Patterson's Alex Cross detective novels--and a welcomed addition to a promising movie franchise. It's no better or worse than a good vintage episode of Peter Falk's Columbo, adhering closely to the mystery-thriller's time-honored traditions, but with Morgan Freeman settling comfortably into his role as seasoned sleuth Alex Cross, familiar formula is given fresh vitality.
When a senator's daughter is kidnapped from her high-security private school, the kidnapper (nicely played by the underrated Michael Wincott) draws Cross into the case, knowing that the psychologist-detective's involvement will bring high-profile publicity. Cross partners with the Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) who botched her assignment, but wait... the movie's got a rabbit in its hat... and that rabbit has an ace up its sleeve... and director Lee Tamahori (who brought similar intensity to The Edge) handles the sleight-of-hand with slick precision, dispensing just enough information to keep the viewer off guard without resorting to cheap manipulation. Don't look for much depth of character here, but Along Came a Spider is well served by everyone involved. It's the movie equivalent of a bestseller you'd impulsively buy at the grocery-store checkout, and on those terms it succeeds. --Jeff Shannon
Along Came a Spider Reviews:
Wonderful suspense movie- Morgan Freeman- what else can you want? 
2008-08-22 - This movie is FANTASTIC. I'm not a big fan of spiders and I don't like scary movies (I've never seen "Kiss the Girls" that this one is compared to by other reviews). I was initially a little leery of watching it, but I'm thrilled that I did.
There are a lot of other reviews on here stating the plot, so I just want to add that Morgan Freeman's acting is fabulous, the story line keeps you guessing and you'll be very glad to have seen this if you're in the mood for a great drama with some action thrown in.
I've watched it over and over, as it's just that good.
Happy watching!
Fantastic adaptation of James Pattersons book!!
2008-08-04 - Once again, Morgran Freeman plays Dr. Alex Cross with such believability. I can't ever see his as any other character except Dr. Cross. I read the book before I saw the movie and I was very impressed with the movie adaptation. It is true to the book and the actors/actresses were really good. Monica Potter also plays her character very well and the acting chemistry between her and Morgran is great. I love the twists and turns in this story and am really hoping that they will make another James Patterson book into a movie really soon.
"Personally I happend to like spiders" Alex Cross says.
2008-07-22 - Once again, Morgan Freeman delivers a wonderful part as Alex Cross. This movie keeps your going till the very end. Morgan Freeman could sell toilet bowls, and they be great!!! I reccomend this movie to any, any Morgan Freeman fan!!!!!
Double-crossing cops and bandits 
2008-05-28 - The film is rather simple but it works. And it works not because of the kidnapping of the child. Not because of the pathos that comes along with such a case all the time, every time. Not because of the failed attempt of the girl to escape. Not because of the child's father's over-reacting. It works because the plot is too simple to be accepted like that. A solitary man could not have planned and realized that plot in Washington DC, with the Russian security services looking after the son of the Ambassador and the secret service working there full time in that private school. Too much security in that school for such a kidnapping to have been done by only one person. Then there must have been accomplices and that's how the film works because we do not know who he or she or they is or are and we are looking out for the clues, for the punch line, for the final and supreme plotter. And that's just what it is all about, one plotter double-crossing the other or the others, or even maybe three tiers instead of just two, and maybe even four tiers, and we are double-crossed in a magnificent way just the very same way the profiling cop is double-crossed in a very standard way. The profiler is profiled by the criminal and then side-tracked because when you know the profile of the profiler the profiler becomes predictable and then inefficient, impotent. So that helps to take the medicine down indeed, even if the girl survives only because the criminals did not do one thing right, only one thing, one single and unique thing. It only takes one mistake for the best adventures to fail. Just find out which thing and who.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
Morgan Freemen is Alex Cross
2008-03-29 - The movie opens with a failed police sting. Dr. Alex Cross' (Freeman) watches as his partner goes over the cliff in a car with a serial killer.
Next, there's a kidnapping at a DC school for VIP Children. Emily Rose (the daughter of Senator Rose) is kidnapped by her teacher. Mika Boorem plays young Emily and this kid is not your average hostage. She's a bright young girl and she fights back.
Alex Cross is still recovering in his home when the kidnapper calls him and involves him in the case. It seems the man wants to become as famous Lindbergh kidnapper. Dr. Cross is along to 'document the case.' Cross is joined by Jezzie Flannigan (Potter) the Secret Service agent at the school who failed to see the kidnapper as a threat.
"Along Came a Spider" is a fast-paced thriller with the added value of a child hostage and two police who are trying to prove themselves after failures. If I could ask James Patterson one question, it would be who he had in mind for Dr. Alex Cross when he wrote the novels. I cannot see anyone else other than Morgan Freeman even when I am reading the books.
Overall, the film is very well done. I preferred "Kiss the Girls" but I do own both DVDs and watch them periodically.
