An enervated downer with dispiriting cat-and-mouse asides

Rating: 5/10 (18 May 2006)

L.A. police detective Al Pacino, a legend in his own time, is called to a town in Alaska to help solve the murder of a teenager. Fine cast, a promising director, but routine results--all chopped up in nerve-wracking fashion by the editor to make this as "edgy" as possible. It actually goes nowhere--slowly--for the first 30 minutes, but there are some twists later on and guilty-conscious stuff which ultimately gives the proceedings some subtext. Still, it's awfully formulaic by now, evoking all the serial killer movies from "The Silence of the Lambs" on down. In fact, Sean Penn's similar "The Pledge" was a far more gripping murder yarn/personal odyssey than this one. Al Pacino acts (and looks) convincingly beaten down, and he's intriguing as always; Robin Williams is in tight, low-key form; Hillary Swank is adorable (if limited). **1/2 from ****