“Taking Lives” is a crime thriller starring Angelina Jolie, Oliver Martinez and Ethan Hawke. This movie was directed by D.J. Caruso and is based on the novel written by Michael Pye. A disturbed young teenager named Martin Asher runs away from home and fakes his death by killing another runaway and then stealing his identity. Asher is so disappointed with who he is that for the next 20 years he becomes a serial killer who assumes the identities of his victims as he travels across North America. FBI profiler Illeana Scott (Jolie) is sent to Montreal where the serial killer has murdered his most recent victim. Jolie’s character starts out too strong at the beginning. Inside of approximately one minute she knows more about the most recent murder than three Montreal homicide detectives combined. Naturally, there is resistance from one detective, Paquette (Martinez), who resents the fact that an outsider has come to aid in the investigation. There is a break in the case as another murder occurs and this time there is a witness. James Costa (Hawke) is a local artist who claims he can identify the elusive killer and draws a rough sketch of the suspect. There is good camera work to demonstrate how perceptive Agent Scott is and that she notices every detail. Her character is very involved, maybe too involved in her work and that is shown throughout the film. The movie begins kind of slow but it works to startle audiences with a few scary moments that cause members to jump in their seats. However, about halfway through the movie, it seems to be over but the audience can sense it is too soon. There is a re-charge of energy and the film picks up its second wind and the story continues. Character development and acting is commendable on the part of both Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke. However, veteran Keifer Sutherland is easily wasted with a small role as he mysteriously lurks around a few scenes as the possible perpetrator. Potential audiences should be cautioned that even though this is a good movie it is a dark picture with grisly images, violence and gore that go along with a story about a serial killer so take the “R” rating under advisement. This movie has an unpredictable ending that will surprise audiences. So if one wants to see a decent mystery that will both intrigue and entertain, take a chance with “Taking Lives.”