MovieChat Forums > Taking Lives (2004) Discussion > Wasted opportunity?

Wasted opportunity?

posted 12 years ago by SBL84
1 reply | jump to latest

In the first conversation with Mrs. Asher, she talks about how her son had a nervous tick where he'd pull on his ear and she couldn't get him to break that habit.

From the beginning I was sure that Ethan Hawke's character was going to end up being the killer, but I thought they'd do it by having him slip up around Illeana and pull on his ear in that way which would tip her off. Since she was presented as being hyper-observant and they made it a point to explain that identifying characteristic of Martin Asher, it seemed natural that she would find out that way.

So they introduced her attention to detail, his nervous tick, and made the two of them get closer and closer throughout the investigation... only to have Illeana discover the truth when he's covered in his mother's blood as she's lying dead on the floor of the elevator.

It was just kind of a let down that Illeana found out because of something so blatant instead of a more subtle reveal based on previously introduced aspects.

[–] AScott20 11 years ago

I agree 200% with you that illeana should have found out by using her abilities and doing what she was good at.
However, I think the point was that even with her being the best and being hypersensitive..he still fooled her. That's why he was able to cover his tracks. Even when illeana was the best in the biz..he was so convincing at every detail that even she didn't see through him. She should have connected their first meeting with how he reacted to the choking weapon to how he had no reaction to dead bodies above her bed.