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The Watcher

Starring: Keanu Reeves, James Spader
Director: Joe Charbanic
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2000
Rating: 2 / 5

The world is comprised of two basic types of people: those who like Keanu Reeves and those who do not. This may seem like a rather unusual means of segmenting the populace, but these two camps could not be more diametrically opposed. The former group claims that Reeves is an incredibly likeable actor whose talent is surpassed only by his knack for locating good scripts (Speed, The Devil's Advocate). The latter group suggests that Reeves is the luckiest man in Hollywood, stumbling from one mediocre film to the next without the faintest shred of talent. Regardless, it is generally accepted that Keanu Reeves is the only good thing in The Watcher, Joe Charbanic's disappointing thriller.

Joel Campbell (James Spader), brilliant FBI agent, is trying to piece his life back together in Chicago. A year prior, while pursuing serial killer David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves) in Los Angeles, Joel lost the love of his life to a fiery death. Unable to get on with his life, Joel has been plodding through the days on disability, not sure whether to live or die. His somber existence is interrupted by Griffin's return, coupled with another dead body. It seems that Griffin takes special delight in dueling with Joel, a man he deems worthy enough to be his adversary. No one else has ever come close, and he is eager for one final clash.

Joel's life is a wreck at this point, as his psychiatrist Polly (Marisa Tomei) is finding out. As such, Joel is not particularly eager to match wits with Griffin once more. Griffin decides to toss a bone towards his old friend: he is going to give Joel a chance to save the intended victims. Each day, Griffin will ship Joel a picture of the next victim, and Joel will have until that evening to locate the individual in question. No other help is given, leaving Joel and the police scrambling to save Griffin's prey. It is only a matter of time, though, before Griffin targets someone Joel cares for, setting the stage for the anticipated confrontation.

Joe Charbanic makes his directorial debut with The Watcher, and it is clear that he is still trying to settle upon a distinctive style. Accordingly, Charbanic has flashes of promise, trying to convey an ominous nature to all of Reeves's scenes. At times, though, his style evokes more of a MTV video aura, something which only plays well for short periods. Keanu Reeves should be commended for his willingness to explore darker characters, something Griffin surely is. James Spader, on the other hand, is rather blasé as the agent charged with bringing him in. Even more lifeless is Marisa Tomei, leaving viewers to wonder why she returned to film for this. The Watcher hints at being a redeemable film, yet winds up being little more than another showcase for the oft-debated talents of Keanu Reeves.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for violence and language.
Running Time: 96 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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