Along Came a Spider (film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the film Along Came a Spider. For the novel of the same title, see Along Came a Spider.

Along Came A Spider is a 2001 American mystery film. The film stars Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter and Michael Wincott, and it was directed by Lee Tamahori. The film's story serves as the prequel to the 1997 film Kiss the Girls. The story was adapted by Marc Moss from the novel by James Patterson.

Tagline: The game is far from over.

Along Came A Spider
Directed by Lee Tamahori
Produced by David Brown
Joe Wizan
Morgan Freeman
Marty Hornstein
Written by James Patterson (Novel)
Marc Moss (Screenplay)
Starring Morgan Freeman
Monica Potter
Michael Wincott
Music by Jerry Goldsmith
Cinematography Matthew F. Leonetti
Editing by Nicolas De Toth
Neil Travis
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) April 6, 2001
Running time 103 min.
Language English
Budget $28,000,000 US (est.)
Preceded by Kiss the Girls
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

[edit] Plot summary

The movie begins with Megan Rose, a senator's daughter, being dropped off at her school. She meets up with Secret Service Agent Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter), the agent assigned to protect her. In Mr. Gary Soneji (Michael Wincott)'s class Megan is seen using a special code to contact an admirer, Dimitri Starodubov, the son of the Russian President. Mr. Soneji tells Megan to see him in his office. He then confronts her with an essay she wrote on her computer and then drugs her. Then, another of the teaching staff walks in and tries to help Megan but Soneji strangles and kills her. Then proceeds to shove Megan Rose into a cart disguised with hard drive covers. Meanwhile, Jezzie notices that Megan is not at lunch. She is told by a classmate that she's with Mr. Soneji. Jezzie orders a security lockdown when she finds a body in Soneji's office and Megan missing. Ben Devine, one of Megan's bodyguards, runs to the parking lot just as Soneji leaves with Megan.

Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) still recuperating from the loss of his partner a few months previous, receives a call from Gary Soneji who is using a voice changer. Gary quotes a saying from a book, then hints that there is something for Alex in his mailbox. Alex goes outside to find one of Megan's shoes. Alex meets up with Secret Service Agent Ollie McArthur, the head of the case.

Alex starts his initial investigation at the crime scene. He soon starts finding clues left behind by Soneji (a missing picture and Charles Lindbergh). At Soneji's house, Alex finds a book with the same quote Soneji told him during his phone call. Alex's hypothesis is that Gary Soneji is trying to do the same thing as in the book (commit a new "crime of the century").

Back at the Roses, Soneji calls to make a demand for ten million dollars in diamonds. Alex is put in charge, running around Washington D.C. trying to keep up with Soneji's demands. Later at Jezzie's house, someone knocks on the door. Jezzie answers it and is shocked by Soneji. Alex congratulates Soneji on a well earned $12 million dollars, but Soneji does not react at all. Soneji tries to leave with Jezzie but Alex kills him.

While Alex is reviewing the tapes from the original kidnapping, he realizes Devine was working with Soneji, not against him. He then goes back to Jezzie's house and does a little searching on her computer. He finds files and pictures of where the ransom had taken place and then where it would end, at a little farm outside of town. At the farm, Devine is revealed to be holding Megan. Jezzie comes in and pretends to place him under arrest, but is revealed to be the hidden villain. In her greed, Jezzie kills Devine. Jezzie heads out to the barn where Megan has been locked up with the intent to kill her but pretends she is there to save Megan. The girl, however, becomes suspicious and doesn't understand why Jezzie came alone and not with the police. After Jezzie shoots her gun into the little crawl space, Megan manages to find Alex who hides her in the corner. Alex then confronts Jezzie and shoots her and returns Megan to her parents.

[edit] Cast

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: