This is an oddly interesting film. Ostensibly it is about a detective who develops psychic powers that aid in the tracking down of the serial killer, Jabberwocky.
A consideration of After Alice is not so seemingly, straight forward.
The plot itself is straight out Barnaby Jones. I had suspicions as to Jabberwocky's identity very early on and with all due respect to writer Jeff Miller, the final twist is something of a cliche. It's daytime television stuff and I sort of expected more from a Hollywood movie with a Hollywood budget.
Then there is the Alice in Wonderland motif. Jabberwocky and Alice in Wonderland are entirely separate works by Lewis Carol. The Queen of Hearts doesn't really connect with the Jabberwocky. One is a poem and the other a children's story. The Queen playing card turns up after each murder and the movie is littered with Lewis Carol inspired references but, and again, none of them really serve the narrative in any way at all.
Sutherland, an accomplished actor, made a single movie in 1999, this one. In 2000 he made four. His was a serviceable performance but I had hoped for more passion or commitment from him considering that this was the project for him at the time.
And then there is the psychic aspect. A fall triggers the awakening of psychic powers within Sutherland's character Mickey Hayden and suddenly there are credible experts in the field everywhere! They add an element of interest, as does the entire business of the psychic, but I can't help but think that good old Barnaby could have arrived at a conclusion without the hocus-pocus.
The psychic artifice does though provide an avenue for a romantic interest in the form of Polly Walker's character Dr Vera Swan but it is a relationship that doesn't go anywhere even though Sutherland is recovering from a broken marriage, is vulnerable and available.
I have no regrets in finding the 100 minutes to watch the movie but I won't be expending any energy finding space on the shelf for the DVD.
The plot itself is straight out Barnaby Jones. I had suspicions as to Jabberwocky's identity very early on and with all due respect to writer Jeff Miller, the final twist is something of a cliche. It's daytime television stuff and I sort of expected more from a Hollywood movie with a Hollywood budget.
Then there is the Alice in Wonderland motif. Jabberwocky and Alice in Wonderland are entirely separate works by Lewis Carol. The Queen of Hearts doesn't really connect with the Jabberwocky. One is a poem and the other a children's story. The Queen playing card turns up after each murder and the movie is littered with Lewis Carol inspired references but, and again, none of them really serve the narrative in any way at all.
Sutherland, an accomplished actor, made a single movie in 1999, this one. In 2000 he made four. His was a serviceable performance but I had hoped for more passion or commitment from him considering that this was the project for him at the time.
And then there is the psychic aspect. A fall triggers the awakening of psychic powers within Sutherland's character Mickey Hayden and suddenly there are credible experts in the field everywhere! They add an element of interest, as does the entire business of the psychic, but I can't help but think that good old Barnaby could have arrived at a conclusion without the hocus-pocus.
The psychic artifice does though provide an avenue for a romantic interest in the form of Polly Walker's character Dr Vera Swan but it is a relationship that doesn't go anywhere even though Sutherland is recovering from a broken marriage, is vulnerable and available.
I have no regrets in finding the 100 minutes to watch the movie but I won't be expending any energy finding space on the shelf for the DVD.