Factual error: As the kidnapper is watching TV, we hear a news anchor describing the kidnapped child. She is described as 12 years old, 3 ft. 5 in. tall, and 52 pounds. This is the size of a child half this age. A 12 year old of this size would be freakishly small, which this character is not. And as we see her throughout the movie, she is easily approaching 5 feet tall and in the 70 - 80 pound range. (00:13:30)
Along Came a Spider (2001)
1 review
Directed by: Lee Tamahori
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott, Dylan Baker
Your rating
Average rating
(6 votes)
The first Alex Cross movie had its flaws, especially in the way the plot itself was devised, with a villain coming kinda off left field. This movie does at least something to fix that, since the fundamental dynamic between killer and detective is a much more compelling game, and a multifaceted one with a twist some may have seen coming (I did), but that is not too telegraphed. The actors do a solid job in this: while it is somewhat fun to see discount Julia Roberts and discount Anthony Hopkins both in the same movie, Monica Potter does a very competent job and truly showed promise in a career that never reached stardom level. Morgan Freeman again brings much needed charisma and acting skills to the table, and in this movie they are badly needed: in the first movie, he had to look like a clever, insightful but deeply humane investigator and family man at the center of an underdeveloped story with high personal stakes. In this one, he has to try and add drama and suspense to right clicking on a mouse and stare at a screen.
The fatal flaw this movie has, in fact, which makes me rank it lower than its predecessor, is that it aged obscenely poorly with its hammy handling of 'compyutors' and their magic: it's a big budget Hollywood movie who ends up with a Z-flick feel to it. Anything with the word "cyberspace" uttered in non-ironic fashion needs a downvote! While very rarely my appreciation of a movie is influenced by 'mistakes' and such, this is one of those movies that really ticked me off. Absurdities and obvious oversights in the construction of the plot timeline abund, in a flick that already is pretty short on real action and thrill and that should at least try to keep its own story tight. I would have gladly seen more movies with Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross, as he really does a lot to make the character relatable and more. It never happened, it will never happen, it is a shame, but this movie, which again has good performances, was doomed by its script.
More mistakes in Along Came a Spider
Gary Soneji: I am living proof that a mind is a terrible thing.
Trivia: After Morgan Freeman shoots the guy with the shotgun, the next scene is outside with the news crew and you will see Morgan Freeman walk by the camera dressed up with dreadlocks and cap and keeps looking at the camera. It's Morgan Freeman playing an extra.
Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.
Suggested correction: I agree, it's definitely not Morgan Freeman. If you're talking about the guy in the red knit cap and what looks like a red sweater vest, he doesn't have a mustache and his nose is completely different from Freeman's nose looks like in profile. Without any confirmation from someone from the film (such as a director's commentary) or further evidence, this isn't valid trivia.
Suggested correction: Wow, I find pretty extraordinary that this cameo is not mentioned anywhere else. The guy does look like Morgan Freeman (I am adding a screenshot to the entry), and is not seen anywhere else in the scene, nor Freeman is in the wide shot, so I can't say the entry is false, I just find it quite strange since usually this sort of humorous bit roles get mentioned a lot. Kudos for noticing.
That is not Morgan Freeman.
Question: How did Meghan get from the boat to the house?
Answer: There is a man in the house who brings Meghan some food to eat. I think he was the one who took her there.
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