The Bone Collector (1999)

28% of critics liked it
(85 reviews)
68% of users liked it
(197,552 ratings)

Filmed on location in Montreal and New York, The Bone Collector is a suspense thriller that combines Rear Window and Seven. Two cops on the trail of a brutal serial killer must see as one, act as one, and think as one before the next victim falls. Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is an intelligent… More Filmed on location in Montreal and New York, The Bone Collector is a suspense thriller that combines Rear Window and Seven. Two cops on the trail of a brutal serial killer must see as one, act as one, and think as one before the next victim falls. Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is an intelligent forensics detective who was paralyzed in the line of duty. The author of several books, he has a keen eye for detail and nose for clues that have made him a legend in the law enforcement community. Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) is a street-smart policewoman in her twenties. On her last day as a street cop, before being transferred to a desk job, Amelia discovers a badly mutilated corpse. Rhyme is asked to investigate the case, but he declines. To him, it is an open-and-shut case not worth his time. But when he takes a close look at the evidence, he is intrigued, as the photos reveal complex messages in their details. The lunatic, who might be a taxi driver (a Scorsese allusion), amuses himself by paying homage to legendary murders in his own gruesome acts. Amelia is assigned to assist Rhyme, and she must be the eyes and ears of the quadriplegic detective. And they must capture the killer before he strikes again. Written by Jeremy Iacone and based on a book of the same title by Jeffrey Deaver, The Bone Collector was directed by the Australian thriller specialist Phillip Noyce, who directed such films as Clear and Present Danger and Dead Calm. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Phillip Noyce
Written By: Jeremy Iacone
Genres: Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Nov 5, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Aug 28, 2001
Studio: Universal Studios

Critic Reviews

Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie muster enough electricity to make The Bone Collector a watchable thriller.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
The film never really gathers suspense and tension.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Another borderline-absurd scenario.
James Rocchi, Common Sense Media
Grisly thriller with great performances; not for kids.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
The filmmakers forgot to satisfactorily conceal the identity of the homicidal title character.
Dragan Antulov, Draxblog Movie Reviews
The Bone Collector can't overcome limits of its script and it is unlikely to remain in viewers' memory for a long time.
Brent Simon, Entertainment Today
A desperate send-up of authentic evil, a True Crime! tabloid 'zine thriller packaged with all the subtlety and restraint of children's toothpaste.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
shares with most of the films of this genre a penchant for moody photography, startling bursts of violence and, regrettably, a finale that's so far-fetched and relies on so many coincidences it's impossible to swallow.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The real killer... is easily spotted in the movie's one scene that isn't specifically designed to move the plot forward.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Bethany M

A great film. Angelina Jolie is such a great actress. A must see!
moon r

Star vehicle cat and mouse with denzel as the old hand and angelina as the rookie learning the ropes: can they catch the killer in time? Okay thriller boosted by a competent support cast.
Dean !

A very good cat and mouse thriller as an ex-cop teams up with a rookie to investigate crime scenes to track down a serial killer.
Spencer S

There was definitely good acting by Jolie and Washington, but the psychological aspects weren't all there. It was interesting, but not ultimately a slam dunk.
danny d

after like my 5th viewing or so, i still really enjoy this film. far fetched and a bit forced at times, but this film balances thrills well with charm and entertainment at a high level.
Conner R

This mainly gets such a low rating due to the fact that it is one of the most predictable movies ever. It is completely ruined within twenty minutes. Denzel Washington also gives the same old boring performance, essentially the only standout is Angelina Jolie. She did a great job and… More
This mainly gets such a low rating due to the fact that it is one of the most predictable movies ever. It is completely ruined within twenty minutes. Denzel Washington also gives the same old boring performance, essentially the only standout is Angelina Jolie. She did a great job and makes the movie at least fun to watch.
Wahida K

Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie never dissapoint their Fans.
Anthony L

Predictable but entertaining enough.
Jason O

I don't understand how this movie is getting such bad reviews. In my opinion, it's one of the best movies of the year. I've watched it 3 times and I still want to watch it some more. Denzel Washington stars as a forensic expert who is paralyzed. With the help of his… More
I don't understand how this movie is getting such bad reviews. In my opinion, it's one of the best movies of the year. I've watched it 3 times and I still want to watch it some more. Denzel Washington stars as a forensic expert who is paralyzed. With the help of his computer and an up-and-coming detective (Angelina Jolie), he might have a chance to catch this serial killer who kills people by certain means such as giving them a deep cut, then seeking rats on them to eat them alive. I thought "The Bone Collector" was very thought provoking and compelling. Even after seeing it a few times, I still like watching it. Everybody does a great job acting, especially Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. I recommend everybody to get "The Bone Collector." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Good movie.
familiar s

Could have been much better. The motive needed a detailed explanation.
Candy R

Good actors but the plot didn't keep my interest.
Derek D

Good acting by all involved and has some good names and an interesting plot, but didn't keep my attention like it should have. Not a great film, but not a bad one, either.
Tim S

Denzel paralyzed is better than most actors at their best.
Jason S

This is an excellent flick. Washington pulls off the character perfectly and Jolie was great as well. The pacing was good and the feeling of suspense held out through the whole movie. It's brave to make one of the main characters of the flick unable to move at all. Despite… More
This is an excellent flick. Washington pulls off the character perfectly and Jolie was great as well. The pacing was good and the feeling of suspense held out through the whole movie. It's brave to make one of the main characters of the flick unable to move at all. Despite this challenge the character was powerful and amazing to watch on screen.
Stephen M

A very silly film. We're supposed to believe that the Police Department would let a rookie cop onto a scene-of-crime to collect forensic evidence when they pay dudes to do that stuff for a living! Tripe! Also, it doesn't help that the serial killer's games are so random… More
A very silly film. We're supposed to believe that the Police Department would let a rookie cop onto a scene-of-crime to collect forensic evidence when they pay dudes to do that stuff for a living! Tripe! Also, it doesn't help that the serial killer's games are so random and erudite that the viewer can't play along. So by-the-book if you turn the volume up you can hear the pages turning. I suppose we have "Se7en" to blame for this one.
Lady D

Much better than I remember this film being. At the time of it's release I wasn't too impressed by it, but this time around I found it a pretty enjoyable film. Can't say that there were any outstanding performances in this one and it wasn't particularly gory… More
Much better than I remember this film being. At the time of it's release I wasn't too impressed by it, but this time around I found it a pretty enjoyable film. Can't say that there were any outstanding performances in this one and it wasn't particularly gory for a serial killer film, but I don't really think that was the main focus here, it was more to do with working together during the circumstances
Dean M

All-my favourite suspense-thriller film and Denzel and Angelina are great teamwork in searching the clues.
jay n

yech!
xGary X

One of a seemingly endless and interchangable serial killer movies that tried to cash in on the success of Silence of the Lambs. Efficient, but it involves all the usual cat and mouse games, clue-leaving and twists that are so utterly predictable and cliched by todays standards.
Luke B

Yet another thriller that attempted to replicate Se7en. Jolie and Washington are great, but after a while you stop caring and only want to know who the killer is. Has a few creepy moments and develops great atmosphere. Just a shame Washington is in bed for the whole film.