Movie Review #11: Taking Lives

Welcome to the last movie review of 2004! This week: Taking Lives (2004) starring Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke and co-starring Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Martinez, Tcheky Kara, Jean-Hughes angled and gene rolodex. Directed by DJ Caruso.

Back in 1987, a teenage boy kills another and assumes his identity. Years later, FBI Agent Illeana Scott (Jolie) is on the trail to find this killer. But will he be found before he takes another life? Yes, this movie is just as cheesy as this plot description. The story has a great concept for a murder/mystery but Caruso gave it more of a thriller feel that didn’t sit as well as it should have. The many plot twists tried to be clever but every single one could be seen a mile away. A better sense of genre could have done this movie a great deal of help. All the marketing went into making it a scary, exciting thrill ride and these promises were not met.

Jolie is a great actress and this movie is no exception. She does a wonderful job portraying the hardass FBI Agent who is too into her work and not into fun. Hawke also played his part well as male lead and murder/identity theft victim. One of the bonus features on this DVD is an interview with the cast and crew. All of the actors said that they were really excited about this picture, the script was the best they ever read and they never knew where their character was going while reading it. How is this possible? These people are smarter than this, aren’t they? Maybe not.

The best thing about Taking Lives is the Philip Glass score. He puts so much care and attention to mood and scene. Other great Philip Glass scores include The Truman Show and the Koyaanisqatsi trilogy.

Taking two hours of my life,

Toast!