Konterr Brilliant and touching

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

wes-connors Over the opening credits, a breathy-voiced serial killer recalls his first sexual fantasies. Presently, in Washington DC, we meet boxing trainer Morgan Freeman (as Alex Cross), who is summoned during a session with his young students. Also revealed as a police detective and doctor, Mr. Freeman learns his niece has become the latest victim of a serial killer known as "Casanova" (named after the famous Italian lover). Meanwhile, in a North Carolina forest, our hooded serial killer stalks and kills a scantily clad college sophomore. She had not been compliant enough for her captor. As wisely surmised by Freeman, the serial killer is really a "collector" of beautiful women – he keeps them as sex slaves in an underground cavern..."Kiss the Girls" starts out with an intriguing story, taken from the successful novel by James Patterson. What made it captivating in the book looks cluttered and confusing on screen, however. There are too many moments when you ask, "How the heck did that happen?" as characters often appear trapped in their own awkward actions. The inability of authorities to discover the villain's lair due to acrobatic amnesia given beautiful Ashley Judd (as Kate McTiernan) is one example. At another point, one vulnerable character asks someone we know is sinister to hand her a "big chopping knife" to cut some little carrots. The next two lines could have been, "What big teeth you have!" and "The better to eat you with, my dear!"...The fascinating duality of the villain doesn't double the terror like it should. There are a few allusions, but we don't see the truly evil actions being described – the direction is more mildly erotic than horrific or suspenseful. Although it would be departing from the original work, it might have been nice to see more of a partnership between Freeman's detective helpers Cary Elwes (as Nick Ruskin) and Alex McArthur (as Davey Sikes). There is a glimpse of Mr. McArthur in a car near the end which makes you wonder if another tryst was possible. Yet, this brief shot of the McArthur becomes another "What the heck did that mean?" moment. Still, Freeman and the others perform skillfully, as does the production crew.***** Kiss the Girls (9/10/97) Gary Fleder ~ Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn

FilmBuff1994 Kiss the Girls is a good movie with a well written plot and a talented cast. Morgan Freeman delivers a great performance as Alex Cross, conveying the redemptive spirit and intellect he has very naturally, he suited the role perfectly and I think fans of the book would be pleased, he brings a realistic feel to the dark life of a detective. It was, on the other hand, light on real suspense, the most thrilling bits are the things you only hear about, not see. I also felt that there was far too much spoon feeding going on. The plot is simple but it is as if the writer and director thought it was so complicated that everything needed to be dumbed down for the audience, it never let us use our own imagination and get a feel for what was going on by ourselves. I found Ashley Judd very unconvincing, for the things her character undergoes she never seems traumatised by it at all, she is at ease all the time, I do not think she is a poor actress, but she simply is not vulnerable enough for that role All in all, Kiss the Girls is an enjoyable film that is worth the watch if you are looking for a good crime or mystery, just do not expect perfection. A forensic psychologist tries to snare a killer of young girls, helped by the only woman to flee him.Best Performance: Morgan Freeman / Worst Performance: Ashley Judd

gwnightscream Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn, Jay O. Sanders, Gina Ravera and Brian Cox star in this 1997 thriller based on the novel. This focuses on police detective/forensic psychologist, Alex Cross (Freeman) who searches for his missing niece, Naomi (Ravera). He learns she's been kidnapped by a serial killer calling himself, Casanova, the great lover who collects young women and kills them if they break his trust. Judd (Heat) plays Kate McTiernan, a surgeon who also gets taken, but escapes from him and helps Alex search for Naomi. Elwes (The Princess Bride) plays cop, Nick Ruskin, Goldwyn (Ghost) plays former plastic surgeon, William Rudolph, Sanders (Angels in the Outfield) plays Alex's colleague, Kyle Craig and Cox (Manhunter) plays police chief, Hatfield. Freeman and Judd are great in this and together. I recommend this good thriller.

LeonLouisRicci Embracing the right Atmosphere, this is a slightly better than Average Serial Killer Movie that loses some attempted perversity with its lack of exploration into the Misfit Mind of these Human Anomalies. Just what makes them tick, we always ask. Most of the time they are highly intelligent, cunning, and are so out there that they seem like Aliens or Demons in Human form. But here little time is spent on Personality or Character Demystification.It is sacrificed for uninteresting Police Procedures and Crime Scenes and Thriller Movie Clichés. The two Leads, as always, deliver credibility to their Roles, but as sincere and gifted as Ashley Judd may be, this may be a slight bit of Miscasting. Morgan Freeman is fine as the Black Forensic Psychologist Alex Cross, from the Novels.Technically, as Cross points out, this is not a Serial Killer in the (im)purist sense. He is a Collector who Kills only when his Living Dolls misbehave. Then he unfeelingly disposes of them like so many Chatty Cathy's. In the end, it is worth a view, but is not very well thought out and the Script lets the whole thing feel a lot less intelligent than the Characters, on both sides of the Law deserve.