THE WATCHER

Year: 2000
USA: Universal Studios
UK: UIP (UK)
Cast: James Spader, Keanu Reeves, Marisa Tomei, Ernie Hudson, Chris Ellis, Robert Cicchini, Yvonne Niami, Jennifer McShane, Gina Alexander, Rebakah Louise Smith, Joe Sikora, Jillian Peterson, Michelle Dimaso, Andrew Rothenberg, David Pasquesi, Dana Kozlov, Butch Jerinic, Marilyn Dodds Frank, Rebekah Arthur, Sheila Lahey, Jason Wells, Lisa Velten, Frederick Garcia, Mindy Bell, Ryan Oliver, Varen Black, Tamara Tungate, Quinn Yancy, Jennifer Anglin, Peter Reinemann, Michael Nicolosi, Rich Komenich, Michael Guido, Janelle Snow, Joe Forbrich, Scott Benjaminson, Scott A Martin, Jenny McShane, Joe Monaco
Director: Joe Charbanic
Country: USA
USA & UK: 97 mins
USA Rated: R for violence and language
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong violence, horror and language
USA Release Date: 8 September 2000
UK Release Date: 9 March 2001


Synopsis

FBI agent Joel Campbell (James Spader) has gone into hiding. Traumatized and beaten down after years of pursuing psychotic killers in Los Angeles, he moves to Chicago to start a new, less stressful life. But his guilty past follows him. He has only been in Chicago for a few months when there are a series of gruesome murders, all of which follow a sickeningly familiar pattern: They are undoubtedly the work of one man - David Allen Griffin (Keanu Reeves).

The cunning and tormenting Griffin prodded and eluded Campbell for years in Los Angeles. And now he has pursued his tracker to Chicago. For Griffin, the killing of lonely young women has merely become a pretext for a sadistic game of cat and mouse between himself and Campbell. Before each murder he sends the FBI Agent a photograph of his intended victim and dares him to find her before he strikes again.

Each successive killing reminds Campbell of his past failures, dredging up feelings of helplessness and loss that he has been trying to suppress. And for his nemesis Griffin, Campbell's, exquisite torture becomes his entire reason for killing.

He meticulously stages one final murder, designed to destroy Campbell by confronting him with his guilt-plagued past. And unless Campbell can stop him, he will become the killer's ultimate victim.

The Watcher stars James Spader (STARGATE), Marisa Tomei (MY COUSIN VINNY), Ernie Hudson (OZ) and Keanu Reeves (THE MATRIX). Directed by Joe Charbanic from a screenplay by David Elliot and Clay Ayers, the film is based on a story by Darcy Meyers and David Elliot.