"THE BONE COLLECTOR" (1999) (Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Mild Heavy Extreme Heavy Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Mild Extreme None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild None Minor Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Suspense/Thriller: A paralyzed forensics detective and his feisty but reluctant protégé try to find and stop a serial killer before he strikes again. PLOT: Lincoln Rhyme (DENZEL WASHINGTON) is one of New York City's leading forensics specialists with a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge in his head that he taps to solve cases. He's also suicidal due to an injury in the line of duty that's left him paralyzed and bedridden for the past four years with the use of only his head and one index finger. Assisted by his in-house nurse, Thelma (QUEEN LATIFAH) and technical guru Richard Thompson (LELAND ORSER) who keeps his high-tech bedside computer equipment operational, Lincoln hasn't had much will to continue living. That's mainly due to progressively recurring seizures that threaten to leave him in a vegetative state, a point he uses in trying to convince Dr. Barry Lehman (JOHN BENJAMIN HICKEY) to help end his life when necessary. Things change, however, when police officer Amelia Donaghy (ANGELINA JOLIE), who wants a desk job in the youth services division, comes across a crime scene and smartly reacts to protecting and noting evidence related to the homicide. While Captain Howard Cheney (MICHAEL ROOKER) isn't happy about a beat cop acting like a detective, Lincoln takes her under his wings after sensing that she has what it takes to be a good detective. Thus, with the help of Lincoln's former partner, detective Paulie Sellitto (ED O'NEILL), his new partner, Kenny Solomon (MIKE McGLONE), and research scientist Eddie Ortiz (LUIS GUZMAN), Amelia quickly learns the ropes and becomes Lincoln's field presence as they investigate what turns out to be the work of a serial killer who's determined to leave clues about his next killing. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Fans of anyone in the cast or other serial killer thrillers probably will, but older teens seem the most likely of any kids to want to see this one. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong violent content including grisly images, and for language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: DENZEL WASHINGTON plays a paralyzed and initially suicidal forensics detective who finds a reason to live in trying to solve a serial murder spree. He briefly uses strong profanity. ANGELINA JOLIE plays his reluctant protégé who initially doesn't like him nor the thought of becoming a forensics detective. She also briefly uses strong profanity. QUEEN LATIFAH plays Lincoln's in-home nurse who takes cares of him. She also uses strong profanity. MICHAEL ROOKER plays the forensics unit captain who seems to have it out for Amelia and tries to derail her and Lincoln's investigation. He uses strong profanity. ED O'NEILL plays Lincoln's former partner who helps Amelia and also cusses. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated suspense thriller. Being a story about a serial killer, violence is extreme as people are killed in various fashions (some including traditional weapons) and the results are often quite bloody and/or gory. In direct relation, many viewers may find such acts of violence, the results of them, and other scenes where the protagonist slowly walks through darkened underground areas as suspenseful and/or disturbing (as they're also accompanied by suspenseful/scary music). The killer obviously has an extremely bad attitude, with other characters having similar, but non- homicidal ones. Profanity is extreme with at least 18 "f" words being used, while other profanities and a handful of colorful phrases are also present. One of the protagonists is a paralyzed man who initially wishes to end his life. In addition, a sexual liaison is suggested, a sexually related comment is made, some brief drinking occurs and a briefcase full of street drug samples is seen during a lecture. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone in your home, we suggest that take a closer look at our detailed content listings. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We see a black and white photo of Lincoln and another man holding glasses of champagne. When Thelma offers Lincoln some juice, he asks for "two fingers of vodka" instead. Later, his doctor asks if there's liquor in his juice and Thelma says that there isn't and that he won't be getting any. At a police seminar, an instructor opens a briefcase full of samples of drugs that kids use (including marijuana, rock cocaine, etc...). A cop sitting next to Amelia then jokingly says, "How'd you like to get your hands on that briefcase?" Amelia drinks some liquor and we see that she's apparently had quite a bit. People have drinks in a club. BLOOD/GORE Throughout the movie we see various black and white photos of murder victims, some of which are somewhat bloody. We also see another one that shows a hunk of flesh missing from a limb. Lincoln finds a murder victim with some bloody nicks/cuts on their face. A man cuts his fingers on a sharpened cab door lock as he tries to pull it open. Amelia discovers a hand, with part of a finger missing (that's bloody), sticking up from the ground. She then uncovers the victim's face and we see his pale pupils and tongue. A woman has some bloody scrapes on her face. We see a murder victim who was scalded to death, first from a distance and then up closer. As such, her skin looks scalded, her arm has a big and gory hole in it, and we then see her near skeletal, but still partially fleshy but gory face. Amelia finds a small, but bloody bone at a crime scene. A man has some bloody cuts on his face and on his leg (his pants are rather bloody). Later, we see his bloody body covered with rats that are chewing on him. Amelia then comes across the above scene and shoots one of the rats (that explodes in a bloody mess) to make the rest run away. We see another murder victim with a bloody bullet hole in his clothing, some blood from his mouth, and part of his finger missing (with a bloody stump). The killer pulls a cop partially into his cab and shoots him in the torso (blood squirts out from the other side). We briefly see a close up photo of a hand with part of the finger missing (with a bloody stump). We see some blood around another person who's been killed. A person's fingers are bloody after they're partially crushed. Two people's faces/heads are bloody after one viciously bites the other's ear/side of face. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Obviously the killer has extreme cases of both. Cheney has both toward Amelia and Lincoln in trying to shortchange and/or derail their work. He also calls Lincoln a "cripple." Amelia initially has both toward Lincoln upon first meeting him. Some may see Lincoln as having both for wanting to commit suicide (via assistance from his doctor for being paralyzed with the threat of becoming vegetative). FRIGHTENING SCENES Additional scenes listed under "Violence" and "Bloood/Gore" may also be suspenseful or unsettling to some viewers. We see Lincoln crawling through a tunnel of sorts (in the dark) trying to get to a murder victim. Suddenly debris falls from above and hits him just as the scene ends. A middle-aged couple find that they can't get out of a cab that's driven into a bad section of town and that the driver won't acknowledge their demands and pleas for him to stop. Amelia discovers a hand, with part of a finger missing (that's bloody), sticking up from the ground. She then uncovers the victim's face and we see his pale pupils and tongue. She then stands in the way of an oncoming train trying to get it to stop before it disturbs vital evidence. We see that the killer has a woman handcuffed in some old steam tunnel with tape over her mouth and she reacts in fear to the sight of him. Lincoln has a seizure. We see the killer lining up a steam pipe in front of his next victim as Amelia and the others try to get to and rescue her (in a several minute sequence) before the scheduled releasing of steam in that pipe. Amelia has to go by herself into a dark and dilapidated room, gun and flashlight in hand, and gather evidence at a recent homicide scene (where she sees the scalded victim). Lincoln then instructs her, via radio, that she has to take a saw and cut off the victim's hands to get the handcuffs around them as evidence and she nearly does so. We see that the killer is following Amelia. Amelia hears someone at her door (we see the doorknob moving) and then gets up to investigate, briefly going out into the hallway. She then goes back inside, thinks someone might now be in there, and thus gets her gun and slowly makes her way through her place. We see the killer scoping out his next victim in a club and later see him holding a knife to the throat of that victim. The killer cuts his next victim and then leaves him tied up where the scent of his blood attracts many rats. They slowly make their way toward him, including one that walks down a plank of sorts right toward the man's face. We then see it leap right at him (and us since we're seeing this from his point of view) with its mouth agape, ready to bite him. Amelia, flashlight and gun in hand, then slowly makes her way toward this crime scene by herself and in the dark again. We then see the victim's body covered in rats. Lincoln has another attack/seizure. Amelia jumps into a body of water trying to save a man and his granddaughter who are tied to a pier post and are nearly underwater. Once again Amelia goes into a darkened underground area by herself with gun and flashlight drawn, looking for the killer and/or clues. The killer stabs a person to death and we then see that he's already killed another person. He then tries to kill Lincoln in a several minute sequence that includes several violent and bloody acts. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Knives/Scalpels: Used to threaten, wound or kill people. See "Violence" for details. Hanguns/Assault rifles: Carried and used by police in the line of duty. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck you," "You f*ck," "Balls" (testicles), "Cripple" and "Scum." It's possible some might try to imitate the methods of killing people as presented her (a woman scalded with steam, another cut and then left for hungry rats, etc...). JUMP SCENES A person is suddenly at a window. The sudden sound of a SWAT team coming out of their truck suddenly interrupts a quiet and suspenseful scene. Another brief but sudden sound might startle viewers. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful/ominous music plays during the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 18 "f" words, 9 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("schtupping"), 1 slang term for male genitals ("p*cker"), 12 hells, 8 asses (2 used with "hole"), 5 damns, 3 S.O.B.s, and 5 uses of "G-damn," 4 each of "Jesus" and "Oh God," 2 of "Oh Jesus" and 1 use each of "Oh my God," "Jesus Christ," "Christ" and "For Christ's sakes." SEX/NUDITY It's implied that Amelia slept with another cop as we see him in bed (she's already up). When she says that she has to leave for work, he jokingly states "Slam, bam, thank you ma'am" (about her leaving after sex). Eddie states that he can't believe his 76-year-old mother "is schtupping some guy named Morris" whom he describes as having a tricky ticker and "an active p*cker." Amelia shows up wearing a dress that shows a moderate amount of cleavage. Ortiz gives Lincoln a tie with the picture/drawing of a woman on it who shows cleavage and the side of her bare butt. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We learn that Amelia's father committed suicide and that she found the body (sometime before the story begins). When Lincoln later brings this up, her eyes well up with tears. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Serial killers and the work of forensics detectives and specialists. People who are or have been paralyzed and Lincoln's depressed and suicidal state of mind (present as the story begins). VIOLENCE Throughout the movie we see various black and white photos of murder victims, some of which are somewhat bloody. We see Lincoln crawling through a tunnel of sorts (in the dark) trying to get to a murder victim. Suddenly debris falls from above and hits him just as the scene ends. A man cuts his fingers on a sharpened cab door lock as he tries to pull it open. We see that a man has been killed and mostly buried and Paulie reports that he was shot in the face and that his finger was skinned down to the bone. A woman is killed by being scalded with steam from a steam pipe. Paulie reports that people saw a college student being abducted and then hit with a flashlight by the killer. The killer cuts his next victim and then leaves him tied up where the scent of his blood attracts many rats. They slowly make their way toward him, including one that walks down a plank of sorts right toward the man's face. We then see it leap right at him (and us since we're seeing this from his point of view) with its mouth agape, ready to bite him. Amelia then comes across the above scene and shoots one of the rats (that explodes in a bloody mess) to make the rest run away. We see another murder victim with a bloody bullet hole in his clothing, some blood from his mouth, and part of his finger missing (with a bloody stump). The killer pulls a cop partially into his cab and shoots him in the torso (blood squirts out from the other side). Another of the killer's victims dies by drowning. The killer stabs a person to death and we then see that he's already killed another person. He then tries to kill Lincoln in a several minute sequence that includes a finger being broken, Lincoln being shocked or otherwise reacting to pain, a person's fingers being smashed, the killer threatening Lincoln with various sharp objects and Lincoln biting the killer and drawing lots of blood. A person is repeatedly shot and killed. Reviewed November 1, 1999 / Posted November 5, 1999

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