Tyler Perry as Alex Cross: Meet the new Cross, not the same as the old Cross
Patterson's House
by Ron Wynn
Rob Cohen's Alex Cross represents the ultimate brand merger. On one end stands prolific author (and Vandy grad) James Patterson, Guinness Book of World Records holder for the most entries on the New York Times best-seller list. On the other is Tyler Perry, crowned last year by Forbes as the biggest male earner in Hollywood, the man who's turned cross-dressing into a billion-dollar enterprise via his Madea plays and films despite near universal critical scorn.
Alex Cross is the cinematic reboot of Patterson's franchise about the brilliant detective/psychologist/profiler whose mental acuity is matched by his physical prowess. Morgan Freeman's two portrayals emphasized the cerebral element in Cross' success. The new version doesn't dismiss that element, but puts sharper focus on the novel's depiction of Cross as an imposing figure, skilled in weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Perry dropped 30 pounds, became proficient in the Israeli martial art Krav Maga, and completely revamped his diet. As a result, his Alex Cross not only talks tough, he looks scary when angry.
The storyline (adapted from Cross, the 12th entry in the series) gives him plenty of reason to get mad. The basic scenario pits Cross against a sadistic contract killer, Michael "The Butcher" Sullivan (well-played by Matthew Fox, eons away from his Lost days). Sullivan is ex-military, quite cunning and highly intelligent. He stays steps ahead of Cross for much of the film. What gives him away, and leads to the climatic fight scenes, is preceded by a series of gruesome murders, some of them quite close to home for Cross and his partner/best friend Tommy Kane (Ed Burns).
The screenplay, co-penned by Marc Moss and Kerry Williamson, doesn't bother much with backstory. But faithful Cross fans will quickly recognize this as a prequel, since he's not yet in the FBI and is still working as a member of the police force (locale shifted to Detroit from Washington, D.C.). As the cat-and-mouse game ratchets up between Cross and The Butcher, Cohen lays out the action with the same fast pace and quick-shifting camerawork he brought to The Fast and The Furious and XXX.
Regarding Perry, the movie's Cross, comparisons are seldom fair, either in fantasy or real life. It would be silly and inaccurate to claim Perry is Freeman's equal as an actor. He's certainly improved from his earliest films, and Cohen has smartly directed to his strengths, steering him away from lengthy exposition scenes and difficult emotional sequences. But when Perry interacts with truly great actors — Giancarlo Esposito, Cicely Tyson, or for that matter the exchanges with Burns — you see the difference between manufactured expressiveness and natural talent.
Alex Cross will probably deliver the box-office goods, and it's a decent action thriller. Right or wrong, you can't help but wonder what the results would have been if Idris Elba hadn't dropped out during early shooting, or the studio had opted for another actor (perhaps Anthony Mackie) in the role. Nevertheless, it's good to see Tyler Perry moving beyond the Madea universe, showing some interest in collaboration, and choosing a property where he's not completely in creative charge — or a dress and fat suit.
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