Character mistake: In the scene where Denzel Washington and company are beginning to analyze the evidence from the first murder, Washington verbally lists some of the elements found at the scene including the "iron bolt". A little later, someone mentions "by the way, the bolt is iron, not steel" and Washington is surprised.
The Bone Collector (1999)
1 character mistake
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker
Continuity mistake: When Amelia jumps in the water to save the the little girl there is tape on her mouth. A moment later, the tape is not visible.
Amelia: Excuse me, but the victim was already dead when we arrived.
Captain Howard Cheney: And you, half-assed patrolman working a crime scene... those days are over. I'll take that evidence bag now, thank you.
Amelia: You can take it with a chain of custody voucher, sir.
Captain Howard Cheney: Are you out of your mind? Hmmm? Let's go. You're coming with us.
Amelia: What? Are you arresting me?
Captain Howard Cheney: You just get in the car, and keep your mouth shut to the press.
Trivia: The movie makers really wanted the audience to believe that Michael Rooker was the killer, rather than Leland Orser. So much so that Rooker actually played the killer in almost all the scenes where the killer wears a mask. When you see the eyes of the killer through the mask the eyes are Rooker's.
Question: Can someone please help? When the killer shows up at Rhyme's place at the end, he explains to him why he did it and how Rhyme did him wrong, but no matter how many times I watch it, I don't understand what exactly happened and how Rhyme was to blame for it?
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Chosen answer: The killer used to be a forensic scientist for law enforcement (where or when is never stated). Rhymes testified in court that evidence had been falsified, leading to wrongful prosecutions, the killer was sent to prison for this, where "every day I was brutalised". The killer blamed Rhymes for this, so set out to prove he was better by giving him a series of clues that he (in theory) couldn't solve. It should also be pointed out that Rhymes never met the killer or knew what he looked like.