Taking Lives

Re-watched this film on blu-ray at the beginning of the year, and I wanted to see I still liked it as much as I did back when it first came out. Since then Angelina Jolie has turned into a joke actress – performing in films like MR & MRS SMITH and WANTED. Films that hold no cinematic relevance in my mind, especially WANTED, what a piece of trash. It reminded me of Michael Bay’s garbage flicks. But in this film I remember Angelina really giving a good performance in a believable role as a tough as nails detective.

Taking Lives Trailer

The film’s premise involves a detective (Jolie) tracking down a serial killer that takes on his victims’ identities after he kills them. I loved the first 10 minutes of this film and the final 10 minutes of this film. The rest of the acts follow a very well-known trajectory of the typical cat-n-mouse detective versus bad guy plot. There are some moments of true suspense and semi-brilliance (when Jolie wakes up next to Hawke), but overall it seemed like a made for TV mini-series.

Jolie’s and Ethan Hawke’s performances are spot on and fun to watch, but I feel like Keifer Sutherland was wasted in his minuscule role. A good movie to turn on in the background. No need to intently watch it or make others sit down to watch it, it functions just as well in the background.

Rating: 7.75/10