The Watcher (I) (2000) User Reviews

Weird movie

[Glasskey-1 · 6/10 · 17 January 2005]

This is a weird, weird movie. Basically, Keanu Reeves plays a serial killer who becomes so obsessed with James Spader (the FBI agent who is trying to catch Keanu), that Keanu kidnaps Spader's girlfriend, who ends up dying. The killer actually even says that he does this because he thought the FBI guy was spending too much time focusing on her instead of him (!). FBI guy then has a nervous breakdown of some sort, quits the FBI, moves across the country and lives on disability in what is probably the most depressing apartment ever. James Spader really gives this role 110%. He looks like he's in excruciating pain all the time.

The killer tries to get on with his life, even trying to form a new "relationship" with the new FBI agent assigned to track him down, but it's just not the same. So the killer follows Spader across country and mails him pictures of girls he is going to (and has) killed, in order to coax the former FBI guy back into tracking him. When this fails to get the attention of Spader (he's a total basketcase and doesn't open his mail), the killer SENDS HIM FLOWERS, along with a picture of the girl Keanu is going to kill in 24 hours unless Spader can find her first. This effectively breaks the basketcase away from his new full time job of staring at the walls of his bleak apartment and gets him back in the swing of hunting the killer.

Up to this point, the movie is actually really good and engaging. I cared about this broken shell of a man who is trying to recover from his mental breakdown caused by a maniac who refuses (for what appear to be rather taboo reasons) to leave him alone. But about halfway through the film, the movie seemed to just sort of give up and degenerated into a fairly run of the mill cat-and-mouse type thing. Usually, when a movie starts out quirky, it stays quirky. Or if it's going to be mediocre, it starts out that way and doesn't change. This movie could have been something really special if the filmmakers would have had the guts to follow through on the set up and what was REALLY going on between the killer and the FBI guy, instead of just letting the movie devolve into a boring rehash of just about every other cop-chasing-maniacal-killer movie we've ever seen.

Oddly likable

[NateWatchesCoolMovies · 6/10 · 10 June 2017]

A prevailing thought while viewing The Watcher was that Keanu Reeves is an odd choice to play a lone wolf serial killer, but he actually suits it pretty well. The film itself is muddy and middle of the road, pitting haggard big city cop James Spader against Reeves's beast who takes extreme pleasure in taunting him at every turn. This gets so bad that poor Spader has a breakdown, loses all hope and moves to a different city half across the country. Reeves just can't seem to quit the game though, and follows him right over there for more murderous shenanigans. It's your classic 90's cop vs. killer tale, and for the most part it's not bad. The bleak, nocturnal nightscapes help Reeves creep around and nab his victims as well as provide an oppressive urban atmosphere. It's nice to see casting like this as far as the villain is concerned; so often these killers are played by eccentric, freaky looking character actors or go-to antagonist players, but by casting a golden boy leading man like Keanu they've upturned the trend and made the character more striking. Also, a chiselled babe like him is far more likely to believably lure off girls than some wild eyed, Gary Busey type you'd usually find here. Points for that too. The additional players add class, including Chris Ellis, Ernie Hudson and Marisa Tomei. This one won't go down in history simply because it's in dime-a-dozen territory. There's just too too many cop/killer films from back then, and if one of them doesn't have a key quality to make it stick and endure, it'll fade into obscurity, like Reeves receding back into the inky night after a fresh kill. It's not bad in itself though, if mostly just for him and the urban ambiance he stalks through.

Mediocre thriller about a series killer with great cast and showy visual effects

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 13 June 2022]

A thrilling and nail-biting movie that falls little by little , resulting to be more vapid, unexciting and pointless over and over . Retired FBI Special Agent Joel Campbell : James Spader, lives in Chicago, where he is struggling to come to terms with his failure to capture a serial killer back when he was working in Los Angeles . Campbell attends therapy sessions with Dr. Polly Beilman : Marisa Tomei , but otherwise has no other friends or social life. Then the serial killer , voyeuristic strangler Keanu Reeves following the burnt-out Spader to Chicago and resumes his grisly activities , as he believes that they have a vitalising Yin and Yang type relationship , so he starts sending Spader photos of his intented victims , 24 hours in advance . Along the way, Spader takes the bait , cleans up his act and discovers new meaning in his life . Leaves clues for burned-out FBI agent Spader as to who his next victim will be so Spader will get back in the game ! . Don't go home alone !. Someone wants to play !.

Based on on the regular premise about a serial killer , whose obsession is with their victims , as the serial murderer has resurrected sending him pictures of his next victim , also like to play cat and mouse games with the cop . It begins with a direct-to-video feel , adding a story cribbed from ordinary serial killer thrillers , throw in a bunch of glimmer visual effects and Keanu's hysterical line readings and you've got a night of talking back to the TV usual style . A predictable and unpleasant action movie in which the same situations are repeated over and over . It is ridiculous enough , but that's half the fun. So-so interpretations from Keanu Reeves overacting as a nasty series murderer , James Spader as the haunted ex-cop and Marisa Tomei as the lonely shrink who unwittingly offers psychoanalitic solace to both cop and killer .

Veteran cinematographer Michael Chapman gives unearned class to the environment , though providing a very dark and sinister atmosphere . While expert composer Marco Beltrani attempts to crank up the intrigue and suspense level . The motion picture was regular but professionally directed by Joe Charbanic , as he directs with penchant for MTV style flashbacks and shaky-cam murderer's eye shots merely induce headaches . Joe is a producer and director, known for Haunted Ship and Lost and Found and this his film debut : The watcher (2000). Rating : 4.5/10. Average , only for hardcore fans of the three great actors : Keanu Reeves , James Spader and Marisa Tomei.

Fairly clichéd but still quite enjoyable

[bob the moo · 18 January 2004]

Having failed to catch a serial killer who finally murdered a woman he had been sleeping with, Joel Campbell moves cities and lives his life on benefits suffering from migraines, heavily medicated most of the time. This painful but quiet life is shattered when the killer follows him to the city and begins a game of cat and mouse with him - sending him a picture of a woman 24 hours before he kills her. Joel rejoins the police in an effort to save his potential victims as well as catching him.

I, like many others, wasn't too bothered by this film when it was released - it looked like it would be yet another serial killer movie, and it was! The plot requires the usual gimmick and here it is the old chestnut of the cop and bad guy needing each other and the killer having a sort of respect and need for his pursuer. None of the film will surprise you but it still moves forward reasonably quickly without being dull and it is reasonably enjoyable. The action scenes are not great and the film never really has a real air of menace or tension, but it is still slick enough to watch - even if it is almost impossible to be emotionally involved.

The director managed to get his timing right to get Reeves in the midst of a reasonable cast; he shot a few videos for Reeves' band years prior in exchange for Reeves doing this film which, despite hitting it big with The Matrix, was a promise he honoured. However as a director his music video roots are heavily showing here with far too many flashy visual tricks that stick out from the body of the film and actually take away more than they bring. However, getting Reeves was worth him having the chair for his star does surprisingly well to step out of his Neo role and into a mean, playful role. No, he's not doing anything different with it from anyone else who plays this type of serial killer role but he is still charismatic enough to make a difference. Spader is also pretty good and has more to work with than Reeves, but Tomsei is almost totally wasted with very little to do to justify such a well known actress. To be honest none of them have much to work with above the norm, but they still add to the film by their names.

Overall I did quite enjoy the film but I will be the first to admit that it was nothing new and really didn't do anything different or unusual with the basic premise and material. The director tries to liven it up a bit with the odd visual trick, but it only serves to make the film look a little desperate to be different. The end result is an average thriller that has a better than average cast (for this type of thing) and will pass the time without annoying you if you know what to expect.

Bill & Ted's Homicidal Adventure

[phantombat89 · 5/10 · 19 January 2010]

I really wanted to like this movie. I really did. Some people don't like Keanu as an actor, but I love a lot of the movies he's done (Matrix, Street Kings, Speed, Bill & Ted, Constantine & Devil's Advocate off the top of my head). That being said, this movie could've been so much better if they had casted ANYONE ELSE as the villain. Keanu's acting style does not fit the role, and it ends up becoming a worm hole that sucks the movie down. Also, the end features a particularly horrible use of CGI (trust me, you'll know it when you see it) that would've been acceptable if it came out in the 80s or early 90s. But considering this came a few years after The Matrix, there's no excuse. I give it a 5/10 for the writing and good casting for 99% of the roles. In short, don't spend money on this one.

The interaction between Keanu Reeves, James Spader and Marisa Tomei make this film

[bsamdahl · 7/10 · 2 February 2002]

The relationship between the characters in the Watcher sets it apart from other serial killer movies. In fact, I would have liked another 15 minutes in the movie to bring out those relationships even more. I would have liked a little more elaboration on what happened in the past between James Spader and Keanu Reeves. Also, I wish the movie had shown part of the session between the Psychologist, played by Marisa Tomei, and the serial killer, played by Keanu Reeves. Marisa Tomei's facial reaction to Keanu Reeves' comment prior to the session was perfect. "Do clients come to see you because you are good or because you are very pretty." (Line by Reeves to Tomei - maybe not verbatum)

Keanu Reeves plays David Griffin very well. This is another example showing how Keanu Reeves can take any character and make it both believable and likeable to some extent. Both Reeves and Spader display the need for each other by the end of the film. Yes, I did detect at least a professional need by Spader for Reeves in the Watcher. So did Marisa Tomei I think. This movie had both a good balance of a crime drama, with the police and car chase scenes, and strong character development. My only complaint is like others have said on this board, I felt it was rushed.

it is Predictable and the same situation is repeated over and over. ** (out of four)

[Movie-12 · 4/10 · 11 October 2000]

THE WATCHER / (2000) ** (out of four)

By Blake French:

A serial killer wreaks havoc on a large city while playing mind games with an FBI agent who is desperately attempting to save his targets before they meet a horrifying death. Sound familiar? It should. Joe Charbanic's "The Watcher" is another rehearse in Hollywood's obsession with serial killer films that call for big stars and bloody murders. Just a few weeks ago, "Urban Legends: Final Cut" was released, also detailing a psychopath brutally murdering young adults while teasing potential victims with cruel gimmicks. I am getting very tired of the same old recycled material found in this kind of production.

All serial killer movies have a gimmick; this film's is the protagonist's involvement with the killer himself. The main character, Joel Campbell (James Spader), is an FBI agent who recently moved from Los Angeles to Chicago to escape the stress and recollections of his experiences tracking down psychotic murderers, specifically David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves), who's trademark includes strangling young women with piano strings. Campbell's past has left him with severe migraine headaches and a dependency on prescription medication, both problems he and Dr. Polly Peilman (Marisa Tomei), a young psychiatrist, are trying to solve.

It isn't long before Griffin discovers Campbell and begins playing cat and mouse games again. Griffin mails Campbell a photo of his next victim and allows 24 hours for the police to find and rescue her. With the help of two other detectives, Hollis Mackey (Chris Ellis) and Mitch Casper (Robert Cicchini), Campbell is determined to bring down this mad man.

The movie is over the top in most elements. The style teases and interrogates, but is also boastful and distracting. The protagonist's personality is also exaggerated, supported by blunt dialogue (supporting character: "That is gonna be hard." Campbell: "Life is hard.") and filled with familiar clichés including personal tragedy involved with the killer and his own family. But the killer himself lacks successful development. The movie lazily introduces Griffin through voice-over narration and silhouetted images; we never really receive a description, but instead intuition and implications.

A big problem I had with the film is that many of its murder sequences consist of a brainless victim screaming helplessly instead of attempting to defend themselves. The victims stand out more than the main characters here, so they should have much more priority in their murder sequences. They also need further examination so we actually care about someone in the story. There is a lengthy, exciting, and suspenseful sequence in which a homeless young woman actually puts up a fight to escape the clutches of Griffin, developing tension and one of the most insinuating chase scenes all year. Too bad there were not more of this type of incident in "The Watcher."

The performances are actually better than the movie deserves, as is some of the suspense. Perhaps the biggest controversy found within this movie is Keanu Reeves playing a villain. After being in movies like "The Matrix" and "Speed," audiences come to expect him to save the day, not brutally murder women. As Griffin, he makes more of the character than the film provides; I liked his effective performance, although he does not include the psychotic touch that actors like Vince Vaughn and Christian Bale have. James Spader comes off as his usual stale, boring self in a role that is way too oppressive for his capabilities.

"The Watcher" is a one-line script: it is predictable and the same situation is repeated over and over, sagging its line of tension. It concludes in a predicable, expected outcome that is explosive and action packed, but lacks a satisfying feeling we normally experience in this kind of movie. "The Watcher" is simply another serial killer picture made with the hopes of grossing millions of dollars, which probably explains why there are so many things wrong with it.

Good watch

[tiggerg1963 · 6/10 · 12 March 2020]

Enjoyed this film.James Spader...love him. Can't go wrong with him or Marissa Tomei and also always enjoy Keanu Reeves

hated the cheesy '90s effects

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 1 December 2013]

David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves) is a meticulous serial killer. Joel Campbell (James Spader) quits the FBI in frustration and moves to Chicago. Joel is a nervous wreck and sees psychiatrist Polly (Marisa Tomei). A neighbor of his is killed and then he finds pictures of victims in his old mail. Griffin continues to taunt him with a picture of his next victim, and he reluctantly returns to the investigation.

The movie is doing this bad '90s slo-mo blurry flashing thing. It's intended to be stylish, but it looks very cheesy. A lot of this movie is trying to be cool but ends up being hokey. It's trying too hard.

I like a lot of the actors here. Keanu Reeves makes for a charming pretty boy serial killer. James Spader is always good especially if he's a little bit damaged. The serial killer cat and mouse game is pretty good. But I just can't get over the cheesy effects.

Easy Watching

[ammodias · 7/10 · 6 January 2020]

It is fairly predictable due to the fact the plot is basically laid out for you early on. The jerky camera when people were being watched was a tad irritating, but all in all its an ok movie - not great, not terrible

Unwatchable

[jagfx · 1/10 · 25 February 2001]

It's hard to decide what exactly is the worst thing about this attempt at a crime mystery movie: the jerky, indecisive cinematography; the intrusive "alternative" soundtrack; terrible acting; the completely cliched script or the general frustration one has in trying to watch this movie that is truly an insult to one's intelligence.

The story follows a burned-out, pill-popping ex-LAPD cop played straight out of the cliche handbook by James Spader. He relocates to Chicago where he lives in a terrible apartment, complete with an empty fridge and a water heater in the kitchen. He is haunted by the memories of a serial killer, who prayed on young women.

Keanu Reeves is that killer, and he follows him to Chicago, because apparentally he has nothing better to do, and he doesn't seem to have to work either. After taunting James Spader with two more young women who quickly become victims, and extending the movie length during the first forty minutes, Keanu finally makes it personal by targeting Spader's psychiatrist played by a confused, and noticeably weary, Marisa Tomei.

By this point, I was exasperated and shut the movie the off. Not only is this final chain of events so predictable, but soon after Keanu and James share an elevator ride together - after a flashback sequence indicated that Reeves had once targeted Spader's wife back in Los Angeles AND SPADER HAD SEEN HIM.

"The Watcher" is about as predictable, scary and haunting as a jack-in-the-box.

The Watcher portrays the somewhat symbiotic relationship between hero and villain and it explores the peculiar means of communication that develop between the two.

[chrisbrown6453 · 8/10 · 12 July 2001]

After being identified and harassed by the elusive serial killer David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves), the distressed FBI agent Joel Campbell (James Spader) moves to Chicago from Los Angeles in order to secure his own safety and peace of mind. However, tormented by the anguish of past failures, Campbell is unable to ameliorate his physical and mental health and his bruised existence is again challenged by Griffin's reappearance in Chicago. Amused and motivated by Campbell's compassion toward all female victims, Griffin (who spies on lonely women and then kills them) heightens the stakes of his hide-and-seek game with Campbell by sending him a photograph of the intended victim of the day, thus testing his ability to save her. However, when Griffin's final defiance involves Campbell's psychologist (Marisa Tomei), the two test each other's limits.

The Watcher follows its two main characters intimately, often detailing the mechanics of Griffin's moves through Campbell's point of view as an observer who must solve a mystery. By depicting Campbell's dependence on painkillers, for example, The Watcher successfully transmits the deteriorated mental and physical state of this protagonistic character. The Watcher is most intriguing when it attempts to portray a society that --through its indifference-- creates its own victims and delivers, so to speak, the loneliest and most vulnerable to their executioner. The Watcher uses this notion of people's unwillingness to help and builds its suspense by simultaneously emphasizing the protagonist's struggles to beat the murderer's deadline. Furthermore, The Watcher successfully defines both protagonist and antagonist as "the watcher" of the other, thus suggesting a somewhat sado-masochistic bond between the two. In spite of this success, The Watcher relies on an excess of repeated flashbacks in the form of highly stylized, often blurry, shots that depict Campbell's previous interaction with Griffin. This choice weakens The Watcher's attempts to establish realism around both characters' past connection, and loosens the otherwise tight pace of the plot.

The watcher hits on both a realistic level, and an entertaining level never before reached with a movie starring Keanu Reeves.

Good To Watch

[gpxdlr · 7/10 · 29 May 2020]

Satisfied with these older films that I missed. This one made in 2000 has Spader doing good. Still wonder why the killer kills. Just to get his jollies or to torment Spader. Anyway, enjoy, I did. Entertaining.

What a pile of badly compiled clichés--just thin, badly made yuk!!!

[secondtake · 3/10 · 26 December 2012]

The Watcher (2000)

Wow is this a terrible movie. It uses every worn out cliché in the psycho serial killer book. 1) It abuses women. 2) The cop in pursuit is a psychological wreck. 3) There is a taunting relationship between cop and killer. 4) There are deadlines and timetables. 5) There are car chases and explosions. And, to top it off:

Keanu Reeves is still a bad actor.

Luckily the leading male is not Reeves, but James Spader, who is decent (hence more than one star rating). The other billed actor is Marisa Tomei, who has a small and actually pretty dull role (she gets duller with every movie for some reason). Spader is not intense or psychologically tormented enough to make his role successful on its own, however. He's fine, but there isn't much to work with here.

Maybe the filmmakers knew they had a weak movie (though that does give them a lot of credit) because there are some face-saving gestures that also painfully fail, like inserts of jerky footage, or other footage in a digitally processed excess that ends up each time being one of Spader's dreams.

There is no love interest romance thing going on here. Just a cop chasing a wacko killer.

Do not, I repeat, do not watch this movie. Almost anything is more interesting, better filmed, better written, better acted.

Binary Opposition

[Lechuguilla · 7 October 2007]

Joel Campbell (James Spader) and David Griffin (Keanu Reeves) are like binary stars that revolve around a common center of gravity. Each man needs the other for a sense of identity. They function as a single entity, even though their motives are in moral opposition. Actually, it's a rather tired film concept.

In Chicago, Campbell introduces the story premise about serial killer Griffin who preys on young women, and uses his killings as a game to be played out with Campbell, who has no choice but to participate. The film's structure relies on tons of flashbacks to Campbell's previous involvement with the killer in California.

The main problem here is that the film's plot depends on multiple film clichés. You've got your standard police chase scenes with flashing lights and screeching tires. You've got your standard melodramatic TV news, repeated over and over and over. You've got a killer who can miraculously overcome every obstacle thrown at him. The film's final twenty minutes are nothing but a string of cinematic clichés.

You get the feeling that the filmmakers used a tried-and-true money making film concept as a template, hurriedly wrote a script, then attached well-known box-office actors to rev up the financial bottom line, for quick megabucks. If that was their plan, I don't think it worked. For many viewers, including myself, the film comes across as stale, insipid, and uninspired.

The acting is not convincing. Both James Spader and Keanu Reeves sleepwalk through their roles, emotionally uninvolved. The casting of lovely Marisa Tomei as a psychiatrist is not credible, in a role meant for an older intellectual. But, of course, as a beautiful young woman, Tomei fits in nicely as a handy target for the killer. And the film's contemporary pumped up rock music I found irritating and distracting. The color cinematography is adequate, if conventional.

"The Watcher" is just one more cop and killer movie in a saturated genre. The film has nothing new or original to offer viewers. Maybe the two lead actors will be a tad more discerning next time when they select screenplay roles.

This film rates a permanent Razzie.

[robert-259-28954 · 1/10 · 30 April 2012]

Check the budget and earnings of this colossal turkey. The numbers speak for themselves. Half that budget must have gone to the first reviewers -- all paid shills. And how in God's name did they ever get stars of this caliber to actually sign the bottom line? What a terrible waste of perfectly good film stock... unless they shot it digitally. In that case, what a terrible waster of TIME. Now, dear friends, compare my review with the first, glowing reviews. This proves three things. Number one, money trumps truth. Number two, everyone is a professional critic. And number three, people today don't know the difference between The Transformers and Stanley Kubrick's 2001. And therein REALLY lies the rub.

A surprisingly effective thriller

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 15 December 2003]

I saw The Watcher in the movie theaters with my dad and sister, in 2000, I think this was my favorite film. Watching it now, I still enjoy it very much, despite some questionable moments, I think this was a very well planned thriller that sends chills down your spine and makes you watch your back to make sure you are not being followed. Keanu Reeves as a villain, actually, in some sick way, it works, he does have the creepiness vibe down. I mean, this is Keanu Reeves we're talking about and he's actually pretty good in this film. I would say him and Marissa carry the film very well together. James Spader does an alright job. But the story is a very good one that I'm sure you'll like.

Joel is a detective who has just moved to Chicago to get away from some bad situations where he used to live. Mainly to get away from a love who was murdered, but the murderer he was investigating follows him to Chicago. The murderer, David Griffin, studies females, memorizes their schedules, tortures and kills them. But now he's mocking the police when he gives them a picture of a girl and gives them 24 hours to find her, but they keep failing. David wants Joes to admit that they are one of a kind and that they need each other. He even goes as far as to attack Joel's psychiatrist, Polly, who is close to Joel.

The Watcher was by no means film of the year, but I felt like it was an intelligent thriller. The only thing I didn't like about the film was the whole situation with David giving the photos to the police, them broadcasting it across the news, and yet somehow they fail? No one recognized these girls? It just seemed a tad unbelievable. But other than that, I would recommend this film, I thought it was good and if you enjoy thrillers, I think you'll like it too.

7/10

Unoriginal And Completely Unbelievable

[sddavis63 · 3/10 · 22 January 2010]

For the first couple of minutes of this film it looked as if we were going to be treated to little more than a Keanu Reeves dance recital. How painful would that be! Thankfully, that bizarre dance-like scene didn't go on any longer than the first couple of minutes (although there was a mercifully brief reprise near the end.) The problem is that even with Keanu's dancing gone, the movie didn't get much better. It's another story about a serial killer (Reeves) playing a cat and mouse game with a cop (James Spader) that he develops something of an obsession with. In this case it's FBI agent Campbell, and in a ridiculous plot point, Campbell is haunted by his inability to catch the serial killer 3 years before in LA. He's now moved to Chicago, he's on disability, he's popping pills, he's suffering severe migraines, he's seeing a psychologist and - from what he tells her - he seems generally unable to function in life. So, of course, with that background and all those problems, when the killer suddenly reappears in Chicago, Campbell is not only asked to help with the case - he's put in charge of it! That makes sense! We spend a significant amount of time watching cops handing out posters with the picture of the killers' next victim on it - because part of his game is sending a picture of who he's going to kill to the cops and giving them a day to try to find her. The dialogue is pretty limited although the performances from Reeves and Spader were OK. There's a bit of a startling revelation when we find out why Campbell is really haunted by the LA murders (and, probably, why he moved to Chicago.) On the other hand, you can predict almost from the beginning that the psychologist (Marisa Tomei) will eventually be targeted and become the focal point of the final showdown. For a brief moment at the end, after the killer has thrown himself out a window and into Lake Michigan while he's on fire, I had a bit of a sinking feeling that this was going to be a "killer who should be dead refuses to die so that there can be a sequel" moment. Thank God there wasn't! 3/10

Great cinematography and soundtrack

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 17 March 2020]

For the most part I found this to be an entertaining movie, the cat and mouse police chases were attention grabbing, the acting was pretty good, and the cast well rounded. The plot was straightforward, and the storyline kept a steady pace. I particularly enjoyed the cinematography and soundtrack, it really made the movie. Rob zombies goth rock compliments this movie perfectly.

A good example of bad

[rps-2 · 2/10 · 23 May 2015]

This dreadful film is one of the best examples available of Hollywood crap! In place of an intriguing plot, there is gee-whiz camera work. Instead of crisp dialogue, there are pointless shifts from positive images to negative colour. Instead of catchy drama, there is mindless and sensational violence and a head thumping soundtrack. Technically, it is well done. But then impressive high technology is not unique to movies. It's also used effectively in the processing of garbage, where this DVD most certainly will find its deserved fate.

I bought the DVD at a garage sale. Better had I spent my one (Canadian) dollar on the leaky ballpoint pen or the scratched up Mitch Miller LP.

Just some good ol' fashioned serial killing fun.

[=G= · 6/10 · 10 February 2003]

"The Watcher" tells of a serial killer (Reeves) who plays cat & mouse with a burnt out FBI agent (Spader) by stalking him and sending him photos of his next victim, all young women, 24 hours before killing them. Slammed by the critics for not being heady enough for their cultivated cinematic tastes, this little flick is a surprisingly enjoyable mix of good versus evil with a delicious babe (Tomei) caught in the middle of a psychodrama which begs the question: which is "cat" and which is "mouse"? The film doesn't get too graphic, is always busy with no filler, has summa-dis and summa-dat (no sex), is unusually free of plot holes, keeps you awake and thinking while still being a no brainer, and wraps everything up neatly in a 5 minute bomblastic conclusion. An excellent sofa spud watch circulating on cable. (B-)

The Plan 9 from Outer Space of serial killer movies

[Sam_Gray · 1/10 · 13 September 2000]

I'm really not bothered by the fact that The Watcher is one giant cliche from beginning to end. I'm bothered more by the fact that it's a badly executed cliche. Actually, in a sense, The Watcher is an amazing accomplishment because, let's be honest, it's got to take effort to make a movie this bad.

Okay, I'll be honest with you; I'm having some trouble thinking of what to say in this review because, well, there's so much wrong with The Watcher that I just can't think of where to begin. Or perhaps my mind has been permanently damaged by the incoherent and constant use of flashback in the movie, not the mention the slow motion. Don't get me started on the slow motion! Look! Keanu's dancing to Rob Zombie! Better shoot it in slow motion; it'll make him seem reeeaaal scary! What's that? A chase screen? Whip out that slow motion, raise the dramatic bar, yeah! Huh? Keanu's looking at someone? Make sure you use that slow motion because everyone knows that serial killers don't view the world at normal speed. Seriously, like half the movie is shot in slow motion, which only seems to make The Watcher seem even longer than it already is. And when you want a movie to end as badly as I wanted this one to end, you just don't want that, let me tell you.

And let's just leave the ridiculous plot and terrible acting out of this altogether and talk about the soundtrack for a moment. A lot of the film is filled with your pretty typical "scary movie" type of music, and it's overused and annoying in of itself. But what's up with all the techno rock stuff? In the middle of some really important, climatic scene, where someone's about to die or something, I'm not thinking it's a good idea to whip out the drum machine and turn up the bass.

And what's up with that phantom police car? I'm not kidding, at one point, James Spader's in the middle of a chase and a cop car appears out of nowhere, door open, keys in ignition, siren on, and Spader just hops in it and goes. Where did that car come from? I demand to know!

Well, needless to say, I hate this movie in a crazy, angry kind of way. There were points in the movie during which I was literally shaking my fist at the screen from the sheer irritation of it all. I should have just left the theater, and I'm not sure why I didn't. 1/10

Fascinating psychological portrait

[BrandtSponseller · 10/10 · 12 March 2005]

Joel Campbell (James Spader) is an FBI agent on leave. He literally "left" his home base in Los Angeles, defeated, because of a particularly hairy case involving an unusually devious, crafty and risk-loving serial killer who went by the name of David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves). The Watcher begins with Campbell resettled in Chicago, trying to put his life back in order. But what will happen when Griffin shows up in the Windy City? This is an unusual film in many ways. Although on one level it's a fairly standard thriller with Reeves playing a subtly twisted baddie, it's really a complex psychological portrait that focuses more on Spader as Campbell.

Campbell's life is a mess in Chicago. He can't work and he can barely take care of himself. He looks and feels miserable. His apartment reflects his life--though sparse in content, it's extremely unkempt and unhealthy looking. He is having continual nightmares. He has to inject himself in the stomach with prescription drugs to get over panic attacks and to enable at least a couple hours sleep at night. Of course Campbell is making regular visits to a psychiatrist, Dr. Polly Beilman (Marisa Tomei).

He became such a wreck because of being wrapped up so long with the Griffin case. Griffin regularly toyed with Campbell, communicating with him and even giving him clues so that Campbell would be able to almost but not quite beat Griffin to the punch. Amusingly, director Joe Charbanic portrays Griffin as more well adjusted and much more focused than Campbell.

As Dr. Beilman discerns, Griffin was Campbell's raison d'etre for so long--almost his sole concern--that abandoning the case resulted in Campbell effectively abandoning his life. Thus Charbanic gives us a clever, ethically gray twist. Griffin may be beneficial to Campbell; he may be the only one who can get him back on track. Likewise, Griffin is shown to be a bit lost without Campbell. It creates a fascinating psychological dependency in a twisted relationship that mirrors the two other male-female relationships that propel the plot, providing a subtext about co-dependency and slightly off-kilter, questionably healthy relationships in general.

Although Reeves is often criticized for his acting ability, The Watcher is an excellent example of what that is unjustified. It's not that Reeves doesn't have range. It's that he's extremely subtle. He's not an actor to chew scenery. His Griffin is really just as psychotic as, say, De Niro's Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976) or Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980), but Reeves isn't usually one to maniacally chop down a door with an axe and crazily intone "Heeeere's Johnny", you have to watch him closer than that to see the character. Even when he's in full action mode, either as a killer, as he is here, or as a superhero, as in The Matrix (1999), Reeves is all about a kind of quiet control. It's not a better or worse style than De Niro or Nicholson, just different. Spader also gives a finely tuned performance. As the character requirements have it, he's a fine complement for Reeves, somewhat paralleling Reeves' style, somewhat providing a counterpoint.

The film has interesting things to say about anonymity in modern societies, especially big cities. Griffin is able to play the games he does only because so many people are faceless and ignored.

Charbanic films The Watcher with a unique visual style can be "arty"--especially during the flashbacks--and conventionally build suspense at the same time. He's also aided by a great score (including a couple brief snippets of Reeves "dancing" to Rob Zombie) and attractive production design.

The Watcher isn't the typical "10 out of 10" film, as its surface gloss is more pedestrian than the usual film of that caliber. But if you dig just a little deeper, you'll find gold.

" The dark loneliness reminds us how pathetic we are when we're alone "

[thinker1691 · 7/10 · 9 July 2012]

Directed by Joe Charbanic, this movie's screenplay written by David Elliot provides a solid platform for Keanu Reeves to shine. The story concerns a burned out F.B.I. agent (James Spader) who seeks refuge in Chicago when he fails to apprehend Griffen (Keanu Reeves) a demented serial killer. Unfortunately, the ghostly murderer follows him to the windy city and once again begins killing women. Barely existing in between his nightmares and his medication, Dectective Campbell is drawn back into the dark demented world of his elusive suspect, when he seeks help to understand his mental anxieties. With the help of Chicago police detectives, (Ernie Hudson) the game of death takes on a double urgency when the killer begins sending photos of his intended victim 24 hours prior to murdering them. Difficult as it is, audience members must get past the fact that Reeves usually plays the hero, but here he is the heavy. Reeves is a superior actor and is convincing as he plays against Spader. Both are superior thespians who allow this black drama to rise above the mundane to entertain us with exciting car chase scenes and murderous mayhem. Marisa Tomei plays Polly a mental health therapist who finds herself a potential victim. This is a special film in many respects, the most important being that our cast does well to mark this movie as a milestone for Reeves and Spader. Recommended. ****

Totally NOT believable that Keanu Reeves can play a serial killer. He tried it anyway, resulting in a total flop, due to miscast.

[imseeg · 4/10 · 17 April 2022]

Of course James Spader should have been cast as the serial killer and Keanu Reeves as the detective. James Spader has proven that he can play really creepy characters well. BUT Keanu Reeves has always been the good guy, the action hero, the womanizer. And now we have to believe he is a serial killer? Laughable.

There you have it, the biggest elephant in the room is the silly role of Keanu Reeves. He should never have been cast as an evil character.

Not any good then? Well, provided you dont have any problems with the above mentioned miscast, this story is still cliched and rather tedious.