The nefarious kidnapper draws Cross into the investigation with clues planted in his mailbox and taunting phone calls. Timeworn elements crop up, such as . . . The sage, humble detective . The pernicious villain . Bumbling, bureaucratic federal agents , whose rank-pulling only serves to expose their own incompetence.
Frantic action sequences .
To deliver a ransom of diamonds, Cross follows the villain s directions to a series of telephone rendezvous points in D.C., creating a one-man chase. Computers that instantly access any information on earth . Along Came a Spider moves along at a brisk pace, thanks to some plot twists that, given the requisite suspension of disbelief, help divert attention from the movie s flaws. As superficial, disposable entertainment, this Spider spins a moderately sticky web. Directed by Lee Tamahori.