Cinema surveillance images are loading at the bottom of the page

The watcher (Driven)

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

FBI Agent Joel Campbell (James Spader), burnt-out and shell-shocked after years spent chasing serial killers, flees LA to begin a new life for himself in Chicago. But five months later, Joel's best laid plans are abruptly cut short when his new hometown becomes the setting for some particularly gruesome murders - murders that could only have been committed by one man: David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves). One of Joel's most elusive and cunning nemeses, Griffin has followed his former pursuer to Chicago in order to play a sadistic game of cat and mouse. Taunting Joel with photographs of his intended victims and leaving his crime scenes meticulously free of clues in order to keep the police at bay, Griffin derives as much pleasure out of watching Joel react to his every movement as watching his victims die. But when Griffin moves into Joel's inner circle, Joel must quickly find some way to stop him before someone close to him becomes the next one to die.

Persons of interest

James Spader .... Joel Campbell
Keanu Reeves .... David Allen Griffin
Marisa Tomei .... Polly
Robert Cicchini .... Mitch
Chris Ellis .... Hollis
Scott A Martin .... An FBI Agent
Jenny McShane .... Diana
Joe Monaco .... Policeman
David Elliot .... Screenwriter
Darcy Meyers .... Screenwriter
Clay Ayers .... Screenwriter
Joe Charbanic .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

The watcher official movie site
Studios and distributors:

Universal Pictures

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

A pretty good version of your standard serial killer stalking a policeman. there's some tension, some action, some gore, some psycho bits and a one-on-one good-versus-evil™ showdown-at-the-end™.

James performs well. Marisa doesn't get a lot to do but she does ok. Keanu is scariest when he isn't on the screen but he doesn't do too bad when you can see him, either. The clichés let it down (are there really only two types of cops in the USA?) but what saves The watcher is the clever use of clues which make you hope that Joel will catch David but also hope that David will get away before Joel catches him.

The watcher doesn't have the style or psychological terror of The cell but it isn't Supernova either.