MovieChat Forums > Taking Lives (2004) Discussion > The ending scene kinda ruined the movie ...

The ending scene kinda ruined the movie for me

posted 8 years ago by mattiasflgrtll6
2 replies | jump to latest

For the record, I still think this is a decent movie. It's not quite as bad as people say. However, the last scene lowered my rating of 8 to a 7.

First of all, Ethan Hawke's lines were so unintentionally hilarious. I just couldn't believe the weird dialogue he was given (which in the rest of the movie was solid enough).

Secondly, it was RIDICULOUSLY predictable. Kiefer Sutherland's character, now that would have been a surprise. I mean, as soon as it said "7 months later", I knew he would disturb her at her new home and there would be a show-off where Angelina Jolie's character wins.

And third, how... HOW... did she know he would arrive??? How long did she have that belly? Did she know he had followed her or something? I don't get it.

Fourth, it's so underwhelming. After the very predictable twist (I was hoping they would go for something else, but always had a gut feeling they wouldn't), the movie didn't have anything else to offer.

Not a bad movie at all. It had good performances from Jolie and Hawke, and a great performance by Sutherland. The atmosphere is also nicely done, and some cool camera angles were shown. It's just that the script could've needed some serious improvement, and should have featured Sutherland's character more (he was cool and mysterious, I really wanted to know more about his motivations). Still, it's one score better than Two For The Money at least (which was even more disappointing).

[–] TTWoodman 8 years ago

For me it was the opposite. With him on the run and Angolina being played, I pictured her turning psycho due no longer holding a badge/justice keeping her in check and hunting him down. Would have been a better twist.

If you are seeing yourself standing in another room, you are definitely not fine

[–] TakeTwoTheyreSmall 8 years ago

(also in reply to TTWoodman)

She wasn't being played. She was the player, and Martin was being played. He was obsessed with her, and after his statement, ".....and coming inside of you was the best moment of my life", she knew he would stalk her. She was obviously still working the case, at least with the Canadian office. After Martin is killed, she phoned Leclair. Little dialog was necessary, as this was part of the plan, as he says, "It's been a while. Is it done?" This indicated to me that the "plan" was a success, and the outcome was as planned. This may also have been in cooperation with the FBI, and the "you're fired" episode may have been a necessary ruse. In reality, her behavior would have likely warranted only a reprimand, considering her expertise and value to The Bureau. Leclair advises her to "stay put, I'll call this in." If The Bureau wasn't involved, it would have been a local investigation, not a call to a Canadian official who could "call this in". Her familiarity with the store clerk when she retrieved her mail and the package indicates she had been there long enough to be a personal concern of the postmaster, as she says, "you better get yourself home. It's miserable out there." Later, at the house, Martin says he'd been watching her belly grow, so the ruse had been playing all along, for his benefit. Something had to be done to keep his focus on her (or they were certain he would continue his spree), and his suspicion she may be pregnant was just the thing, and she delivered (metaphorically). Martin was always "on the run", but he was brilliantly clever. He easily pieced together that she was "having twin boys", probably by the decor of the nursery. That was absolutely brilliant (on Illeana's part), knowing he would figure that out. Martin knowing she is having twin boys would lure him even closer and more focused, and again, Illeana was controlling his predictable modus

Illeana had a score to settle. She let herself become emotionally involved with a serial killer, against her better judgment (she tells Leclair earlier when she said she was leaving the investigation, then didn't), and likely missed clues that would have nabbed martin much sooner. This was her specialty, and she knew she blew it.

A seven-month (plus) deep cover operation isn't common, but it isn't unprecedented, especially when the subject is a serial killer with such a history. The FBI suspended the D.B. Cooper investigation just yesterday, for example, and all he did was hijack a plane and steal some money. With so much at stake, there comes a time when just following leads (dead bodies) isn't enough. She created leads for HIM to follow, and he did.

Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid.