2001, 1 hr 40 min., Rated R for violence and language.�Dir: Lee Tamahori (Mulholland Falls, The Edge). Cast: Morgan Freeman (Detective Alex Cross), Monica Potter (Special Agent Jezzie Flannigan), Michael Wincott (Gary Soneji), Penelope Ann Miller (Lauren Rose), Mika Boorem (Megan Rose), Michael Moriarty (Senator Hank Rose).

Three reasons to see Along Came a Spider:

1. Morgan Freeman
2. Morgan Freeman
3. Morgan Freeman

Seriously, though, I'm being serious. I'm sure if you're being picky you can ram a Chevy Tahoe through any plot holes, but otherwise Along Came a Spider is a couple hours of decent entertainment. There's enough intrigue and action to keep it moving, and Morgan Freeman is enough reason by himself, as a D.C. detective and one of the leading profilers in the nation (not the psychic TV kind, though).

I never saw Kiss the Girls, starring Freeman in the same role opposite the exquisite Ashley Judd. Instead of Judd in this prequel, we get Monica Potter, the poor man's Julia Roberts. Yes, she's a capable actress and I fell head over heels for her early in the 90s when she was the focal point of Alan Jackson's video "Tall Tall Trees," but she's no Ashley or Julia.

Gotta like the bad guy, Michael Wincott (recognized by me from The Three Musketeers and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), who performs like one would expect from cinematic serial killers: cold, calculating . . . let's see *thumbing through Thesaurus*. . . oh yeah, methodical, callous, merciless, etc. Basically he shows no regard for human life, but you figured that out already.

Unfortunately the film feels the need to surprise viewers near the end, which was totally unnecessary.

The verdict:

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