Movie review: Tyler Perry disappoints as titular cop in 'Alex Cross'

Tyler Perry stars as the titular character in “Alex Cross,” which features New York Times bestselling author James Patterson’s famed psychiatrist-turned-police-detective, in a case that puts his not-inconsiderable deductive talents to the test. His nemesis here is The Butcher/Picasso, played by Matthew Fox (TV's "Lost"), virtually unrecognizable as a killer whose motivations are as enigmatic as his methods are brutal. Loosely based on “Cross,” the 12th novel featuring the character, “Alex Cross” is intended as a reintroduction to the series for modern audiences. Now, the idea of a reboot isn’t unusual in and of itself, but Tyler Perry is no Morgan Freeman (who portrayed Cross in “Along Came a Spider” and “Kiss the Girls”) and, sadly, it shows. Indeed, when casting for “Alex Cross” was announced, Patterson fans were bewildered by the replacement of Freeman with Perry after the far-more-qualified (than Perry) Idris Elba (“Thor,” TV’s “The Wire”) had to back out. Perry—acting here for only the second time in a film he neither wrote nor directed—is a performer best known for his portrayal of cantankerous, gun-toting grandmother Madea over the course of seven comedies (a term I use here lightly) and assorted TV appearances. While, for all we know, the man may be an actor of considerable skill and range, these are qualities he fails to bring to the table here. Not helping matters is director Rob Cohen  (“The Fast and the Furious”, “XXX”, “Stealth”, “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”), whose direction here, as expected, is more style over substance, foregoing the introspective slow burn—which characterized both the novels and previous “Cross” films—for his trademark frenetic action sequences. A climactic sequence, set in a decrepit movie theater, for example, meant to be foreboding and ominous, is rendered all but unwatchable by Cohen’s incomprehensible editing decisions. Thankfully, the film is made bearable by a decent supporting cast that keeps things interesting while Perry struggles to figure out how best to portray a police detective. The cream of the crop is Fox, who’s traded in his usual lean frame for one better suited to a cage-fighting murderer. Fox steals the show every time he’s onscreen, acquitting himself well as the personification of a homicidal cipher. The remarkable (and somewhat disturbing) physical transformation he underwent for the role is on full display in an introductory scene where he bets on himself in an underground cage fight. Reflecting more about Fox’s character than a dozen monologues, it is here, in a forbidden world of scum and villainy, that director Cohen’s talents are put to good use; the sequence is appropriately gritty and punishing. The rest of the cast is populated by familiar faces, including John C. McGinley (TV’s “Scrubs”) as Cross’s superior, Captain Richard Brookwell; Edward Burns (“Saving Private Ryan”) as Cross’s partner Tommy Kane; and Rachel Nichols (“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”) as Kane’s girlfriend, Monica Ashe; and the always-dependable Jean Reno (“The Professional”) as billionaire industrialist Leon Mercier. All in all, “Alex Cross” is a disappointing outing for a character that deserves better. Hopefully, this is the final nail in Cohen’s big-budgeted cinematic coffin. With the lukewarm response this film is already getting at the overseas box office (and Elba already deep into shooting his role in “Thor 2”), the only thing Patterson fans can do now is wonder, in dejected despondence, about what could have been. — BM, GMA News Stills and movie poster courtesy of Summit Entertainment