Continuity mistake: Nearly at the end of the film Amelia falls into the sea to get the old man and the girl out of there. Her clothes of course get wet, but later when she discovers the taxi of the murderer her clothes are dry.
The Bone Collector (1999)
Ending / spoiler
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker
The killer is Richard. Forensic expert, Lincoln Rhyme wrote an article years ago stating Marcus (Richard) planted evidence at a crime scene, for which he received six years in jail. He committed the murders and planted clues because he wanted to test how good a dectective Lincoln actually is. At the end, Richard kills Thelma and then goes after Lincoln. When Richard is about to stab Lincoln, who is a quadraplegic, Officer Amelia Donaghy arrives and shoots Richard.
More mistakes in The Bone Collector
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.