13/25
James Patterson’s series of novels about the complex and brilliant detective Alex Cross
Hodge is the third actor to portray Cross, following in the footsteps of Morgan Freeman, who first portrayed him on screen in the 1997 film Kiss the Girls and Again. In the sequel to the 2001 film Along Came a Spider; and Tyler Perry as the title character in the 2012 film Alex Cross, which bombed at the box office and caused Lionsgate to scrap a previously planned sequel, Double Cross.. I started following Ald Hodge’s career when I fell in love with the character of Leverage. . His performance as a "hacker" Hardison was great and I totally bought his performance as Alex Cross as well. The writing is strong, the performances are excellent throughout, and the direction and editing are top notch.
Here’s my problem
The lighting stinks. I don’t know anyone who lives every moment of their life inside in such darkness. I’m only 40 minutes into the first episode, but I’m already having trouble seeing the details of many scenes. Three scenes stand out in particular. First there was the cocktail lounge. I don’t frequent cocktail parties and bars, but even the darkest restaurant I’ve ever been to had enough light to see the faces of the other people at the table.
The second was the bad guy’s lair
Would someone working on detailed plans and designs really do so in such dim light? Certainly, a perfectionist wants to see clearly in everything he does. Third is the house where Alex comes to dinner. This is not a romantic dinner for two. It is a gathering of family and friends. The whole house is dark – hall, living room and dining room.
Why so dark?
Moreover, every room in the police building is dark. A forensic pathologist would not have a very well-lit operating room. If they’re trying to create a mood, I focus more on seeing it than plot and dialogue. It’s a choice many shows have made in recent years. You know, anyone with poor eyesight just wouldn’t be able to look at it. My father certainly could not.
That said, I could be wrong about the cause of the darkness
I stopped watching How I Met Your Father; on another streaming service because it was also so dark it wasn’t pleasant. A little internet research revealed that the problem was with the service, not the broadcast. When the show aired on the network, the lighting was very good.