Today’s quick review: Kiss the Girls. When his niece goes missing at college, forensic psychologist Dr. Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) travels to Durham, North Carolina, to help with the investigation. There he works with the local police in the hunt for Casanova, a serial killer who kidnaps young women in an attempt to make them love him. To find the killer in time, Cross will need the help of Dr. Kate Mctiernan (Ashley Judd), Casanova’s latest target.
Kiss the Girls is a crime thriller based on the novel by James Patterson. Morgan Freeman stars as Dr. Alex Cross, a level-headed psychologist with only a few days to catch a kidnapper before Cross’ niece becomes his next victim. The movie benefits from a tight plot, well-developed characters, and clean fundamentals. There are other thrillers that leave a deeper impression, but Kiss the Girls has everything it needs to be a satisfying watch.
Kiss the Girls has a few factors that set it apart from other movies about serial killers. The plot hangs together well, with capable characters, some good leads, and several distinct stages to the investigation. The performances of the actors are another strong point. Morgan Freeman makes for a steady, focused protagonist in Alex, Ashley Judd delivers a credible performance as Kate, and the largely vocal role of Casanova is suitably chilling.
Even so, Kiss the Girls sticks mainly to the basics. The plot twists are not as sharp as some other thrillers, nor are the details of the crimes quite as shocking. Kiss the Girls is a solid pick for anyone looking for something dark and well-constructed, but it won’t have the same impact as the greats of the genre. For a more twisted crime thriller starring Morgan Freeman, trey Se7en. For a similar tale of kidnapping and survival, try Split.
6.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid fundamentals and good performances, only missing some of the flair needed to make its mark.