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Along Came a Spider (2001)
Very disappointing.
I'm loathe to compare books to movies, since both are completely different media that are intended to stimulate in different ways, but when a movie is an adaptation of a novel comparisons are inevitable. So, the question is what makes for a successful adaptation? If you are in search of an answer to this question, the answer won't be found with "Along Came a Spider" since I believe it's the worst adaptation of a novel I've ever had the misfortune of experiencing.
The method for this adaptation seemed to be to take the well-developed plot, with three-dimensional characters and one of the most interesting and complex criminals I've seen in the genre and gut it down to its very core. What remains is the basic premise of the plot along with the twist, but with all the details and development removed it becomes totally ridiculous. Characters are completely undeveloped and are barely two dimensional. The worst hit is the Gary Soneji character (portrayed rather weakly by Michael Wincott), who instead of being complex becomes a mere cardboard cutout of a psychopath. The basic plot is barely functional and to me was nothing more than a series of events happening one after the other with the movie progressing from one event to the next without any real structure. What this all amounts to is another dire Hollywood thriller that one could confuse for any typically bland made-for-TV movie, if it was not for the name actors involved. Morgan Freeman does the best he possibly can with the material and really is the only reason to watch the movie. I'm not sold on Monica Potter's acting ability, but to be fair her character is as undeveloped as that of the Soneji character.
To sum up, "Along Came a Spider" is the worst movie I've seen at the cinema this year, and as such I cannot recommend it to anyone. For anyone unfamiliar with the book, you'll find a sub-par thriller with a ludicrous twist. For those that have read the book, you'll more than likely wonder how such a travesty could have been made of it.
Avoid.