Review of Alex Cross (2012) by Durell B — 20 Jun 2013

I knew from the moment Cicely Tyson showed up onscreen Alex Cross was going to be boring and generic. For those not aware, Cicely Tyson is the stereotypical black grandmother full of wisdom and old school advice.

She has been playing the same character since I was born in the 80's. Alex Cross starts with a half ass chase scene that seems dialed in and lacking motivation. It played as if everyone just got done eating donuts or napping in their trailer and were called to set.

Tyler Perry does his best to make his mark as the famous crime scene detective but he can't pull it off. I'm able to overlook the fact Perry has made his career in playing a fat woman but this role does not fit his style.

This would have been better in the hands of the original choice Idris Elba. The family moments are so corny and feel out of place. It seems in every film that involves a black family it is a prerequisite to have slow reflective family moments.

It is not necessary, especially due to Perry already being bogged down with exhaustive family scenes in his Madea series. His Sherlockian deducing on a crime scene is forced and one has to wonder how he goes about breaking down a crime scene.

He just walks in a room and tells exactly how it all went down without looking for clues, without examining bodies closely, without looking for any irregularities etc. Lost' very own Matthew Fox turns in a satisfying villain role but Perry and Fox do not work together.

Fox was good at playing a stealthy, tactical assassin but screws it up a third of the way through by just being careless when walking around a corner. Apparently Fox is supposed to be the best at his line of work but gets shot in the arm because he did not anticipate someone being around the corner.

Isn't he supposed to be three steps ahead of everyone? That's what the previews stated, yet he couldn't seem to add in the full layout of the building. Everybody wears trench coats but it does not appear cold.

It just looks stupid for someone to have on so many layers and it not look cold at all. Rob Cohen, the director of this weak action movie does not get how to formulate a smart, well thought out film. He is responsible for starting the Fast & Furious franchise but even that movie suffered from unrealistic tone and one dimensional characters.

Difference is that Fast focused on high ocatane thrills, death defying car chases and decently relatable characters. Alex Cross has no character development, no one you care about and cheap action sequences.

There are too many unnecessary dull moments in Cross. When it should be moving, it pumps the brakes and when it needs slower pacing, it screeches to a halt. Editing is all over the place and situations are handled with no regard to what may come after.

This was a sloppy mess that became a chore to watch, especially after the longer than needed funeral scene that seemed to just want to cash in on African-American grievance.