Based on James Patterson's best selling novel of the same name, "Kiss The Girls" is a profoundly disturbing story about an investigation into a series of kidnappings. The villain is a creepy psychopath, a serial rapist and a killer who kidnaps young women and is then deluded enough to think that he can win their affection. An eerie atmosphere prevails throughout and some interesting characters, tense moments and unexpected developments ensure that the action remains thoroughly engrossing right through to the movie's gripping climax.
Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) is a Washington D.C. police detective and forensic psychologist who travels to Durham, North Carolina when his niece, Naomi (Gina Ravera), becomes the latest in a series of young women who have recently disappeared. He soon discovers that the missing women have all been kidnapped by a man who calls himself Casanova and one of his captives has been killed and left in a forest tied up to a tree. Cross is relieved to discover that the murder victim isn't his niece but very soon after, a local young doctor called Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd) is also kidnapped from her home.
Cross is a cool and methodical character who, after studying the available information, comes to the conclusion that Casanova is actually a collector rather than a serial killer and is probably only murdering the women who persist in disobeying his orders.
Kate McTiernan is a feisty person whose pastimes include kick-boxing. She's initially kept in a drugged state by her captor and when she recovers consciousness, finds herself in an underground cell where she can hear the voices of the other unseen captives. Shortly after, she manages to make her escape when she bravely jumps from a very high cliff and has to be rescued from the river below before having to spend some time recuperating in hospital. When her recovery is complete, Kate and Cross decide to work together to hunt down Casanova. Despite the useful information that Kate is able to contribute to the investigation, their task becomes more complicated when some new clues unexpectedly point them in the direction of Los Angeles.
"Kiss The Girls" is well-made, visually impressive and has a consistent sense of impending danger. The dialogue is good and occasionally amusing, for example when the unhelpful Durham Police Chief tells Cross to "make yourself at home but don't mess around in the kitchen". It also has a very talented cast and two lead performances which are excellent both individually and in the way that they complement each other. Morgan Freeman is faultless as the intelligent investigator and Ashley Judd conveys her character's combination of courage and vulnerability very convincingly. Freeman and Judd interact naturally and the scenes in which Kate is abducted and later escapes from her captor's hideout, provide some of the movie's best moments.
Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) is a Washington D.C. police detective and forensic psychologist who travels to Durham, North Carolina when his niece, Naomi (Gina Ravera), becomes the latest in a series of young women who have recently disappeared. He soon discovers that the missing women have all been kidnapped by a man who calls himself Casanova and one of his captives has been killed and left in a forest tied up to a tree. Cross is relieved to discover that the murder victim isn't his niece but very soon after, a local young doctor called Kate McTiernan (Ashley Judd) is also kidnapped from her home.
Cross is a cool and methodical character who, after studying the available information, comes to the conclusion that Casanova is actually a collector rather than a serial killer and is probably only murdering the women who persist in disobeying his orders.
Kate McTiernan is a feisty person whose pastimes include kick-boxing. She's initially kept in a drugged state by her captor and when she recovers consciousness, finds herself in an underground cell where she can hear the voices of the other unseen captives. Shortly after, she manages to make her escape when she bravely jumps from a very high cliff and has to be rescued from the river below before having to spend some time recuperating in hospital. When her recovery is complete, Kate and Cross decide to work together to hunt down Casanova. Despite the useful information that Kate is able to contribute to the investigation, their task becomes more complicated when some new clues unexpectedly point them in the direction of Los Angeles.
"Kiss The Girls" is well-made, visually impressive and has a consistent sense of impending danger. The dialogue is good and occasionally amusing, for example when the unhelpful Durham Police Chief tells Cross to "make yourself at home but don't mess around in the kitchen". It also has a very talented cast and two lead performances which are excellent both individually and in the way that they complement each other. Morgan Freeman is faultless as the intelligent investigator and Ashley Judd conveys her character's combination of courage and vulnerability very convincingly. Freeman and Judd interact naturally and the scenes in which Kate is abducted and later escapes from her captor's hideout, provide some of the movie's best moments.