This puts a huge chunk of doubt in the audience's mind, and it's hard to buy much that follows. Heck, Angelina Jolie is good enough as the younger cop, I found myself wishing she was in a better-written, more credible film. In a way, that makes The Bone Collector a story like a high-tech Sherlock Holmes starring in Rear Window . I've not yet read the book, but my parents have, and they commented on how much gadgetry and technical stuff is used and explained in the book. That's not to say that this film will have a military air, but it may have a distinct sense of technological credential and believability.
People love gadgets.
I'll post more thoughts and commentary when I read the book, quiz my parents for more thoughts, or see or hear more about the film.