Movie Review: Alex Cross (+trailer)

American author James Patterson has never had any shortage of admirers in the literary world.

The thriller writer has turned out his share of bestsellers and his Alex Cross character has been one of his best.

Based on Patterson's book Cross, detective and forensic psychologist Alex Cross (Tyler Perry) is the star of the show here.

He is an investigator with as sharp a brain as you could want and will not stop until he gets his man.

But when he is called to investigate four particularly gruesome deaths, he knows he is dealing with a psychopath.

What he doesn't know is that when he angers "Picasso" (Lost's Matthew Fox) by thwarting his next crime, he brings his family into a danger they have never known.

Picasso is a killing machine with the physical and mental skills to pull off whatever is required.

He also lacks any sort of conscience in carrying out his assassinations. Cross knows he needs to get one step ahead of Picasso if he wants to stop him.

He also needs to put his police badge away and play the dirty games his nemesis plays or he will be the next victim.

Cross and partner Tommy Kane (Edward Burns) are likeable characters and use the strong friendship they have had since childhood to get through their work.

There is a real book flavour to Alex Cross. The plot and intrigue builds and builds until we get to the point where something must give and someone must win.

As thrillers go, this one is real value - full of storyline and a little less reliance on prolific action scenes.

Alex Cross

(M) 115 minutes

Rating: 4 / 5