Thursday, Oct. 2, 1997 | 9:04 a.m.
'Kiss the Girls'
* Grades: Jeff, D; Dave, C+
* Starring: Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes.
* Screenplay: David Klass, based on the novel by James Patterson.
* Director: Gary Fleder.
* Studio: Paramount Pictures.
* Rated: R for terror, violence and language.
* Running Time: 120 minutes.
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* Dave: When I first heard that Morgan Freeman was starring in a psychological thriller about a serial killer, I was a bit skeptical. His low-key, laid-back manner might not be in sync with a taut psycho-drama, I thought. The result was 1995's surprise hit "Seven."
I was wrong. Freeman was nothing short of brilliant. Now, here we are again. Freeman is starring in another serial-killer-on-the-loose movie. So, how can you go wrong?
Oh, let me count the ways ...
"Kiss the Girls" stars Freeman as Dr. Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist who also happens to be a best-selling author. After his niece is kidnapped, Cross makes the trek from Washington, D.C. to North Carolina to offer his help in the investigation. He is coolly received by the local police and is told to keep his distance from the case.
Does he? Not a chance. Meanwhile, surgical intern Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd) is stalked, then kidnapped by the same serial killer-collector, known as "Casanova." This particular brand of sicko likes to kidnap beautiful women who are extraordinary in some way and force them to "fall in love" with him. If they break his rules, they die. But Kate manages to escape -- barely. Now she and Dr. Cross must team up to track down Casanova.
The film has all the necessary elements for a satisfying thriller: a ruthless killer, innocent victims, dogged investigators, and even a few truly disturbing moments inside the killer's subterranean lair. However, near the halfway point, the film begins to lose its focus.
It all just seems like a lot of padding for no logical reason. For example: Ashley Judd escapes from the killer's hideout, runs for her life and falls into a river. She's fished out a short time later. Why wasn't every inch of that area combed for several square miles? There are just too many plot holes and red herrings in this film. When the killer is finally revealed, it all seems so silly and unbelievable.
Yes, the performances are sound and the direction of Gary Fleder ("Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead") is more than competent, but despite all that, "Kiss the Girls" is no "whodunit."
It's more like a "whocares?"
Pucker up ... "Kiss the Girls" gets a C+
* Jeff: I was thumbing through my Director's Cookbook and I found a delicious recipe for making a movie about serial killers. What you need is:
One deeply disturbed individual who kills many in a flamboyant and memorable manner; one obsessed police officer who will stop at nothing to catch him; two tablespoons of shocking and appalling crime scenes, with the victims displayed for all to see.
Add suspense, a pinch of clues, (red herrings optional), mix and bake for 120 minutes.
This recipe was successfully used in such memorable movie dishes as "Silence of the Lambs," "Seven," "Manhunter" and "Copycat."
It's obvious that director Gary Fleder can't cook. He ignores all the essential ingredients for a successful thriller and cooks up a bland banquet of characters that pleases neither the mind nor the taste buds.
As Dave explained, Morgan Freeman's character learns that his niece -- along with seven other girls -- has been abducted by a serial killer. So he meets Judd's character -- the only escapee, who claims she can identify the killer -- and Cross brings her along to catch him.
Huh?
This is the first of many mistakes Cross makes in the course of the investigation: He directly involves the victim, ignores procedure, never calls for backup and withholds information from other law enforcement agencies. Those are all blunders for which he would be fired, or at least taken off the case. His actions are not bankable risks, just stupid mistakes even a rookie wouldn't make. But no one questions what Cross is doing.
Freeman plays Cross as the most passive policeman ever. His face brandishes an empty, vacant look, as if he couldn't care less about the case. He's also the only cop who doesn't own a cellular phone. He prefers to drive to a potential victim's home while she's in danger rather than call for backup.
"Kiss the Girls" has not one, but two serial killers, each working on both coasts and collaborating on each other's work. We never once step inside the mind of either serial killer and find out what drives them to kill. We never get to see them at work, to the point where the audience is robbed of any kind of gore or horrific violence. All I saw was a kidnapping and a victim tied to a tree.
BOR -- ING.
The ending is a Hollywood cliche that has been used to death (pardon the pun).
"Kiss The Girls" is a weak attempt at a thriller, which breaks all the rules for all the wrong reasons.
Instead of cooking up this mess, the director should have ordered take-out.
"Kiss the Girls" gets a D.
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