A fine performance by Morgan Freeman and some interesting plot twists make up for poor dialogue, some unlikely contrivances, and weak supporting players.

As the pic opens, a surveillance/sting operation is underway. Washington, DC police detective and ace criminal profiler Alex Cross (Morgan Freeman) is in a helicopter, communicating with an undercover female cop attempting to snare a violent offender. The lady cop is in the perp's car, but things suddenly go very wrong, and she ends up dead. Cross drops into semi-retirement, but will soon be dragged back into the fray.

Megan Rose (Mika Boorem), 12-year-old daughter of a US senator, and student at an exclusive and high-security prep school, is called into her teacher's office after class, presumably for cheating with her friend and classmate Dimitri (Anton Yelchin). Mr. Soneji (Michael Wincott), the computer instructor, injects her with a knockout drug, and strangles another teacher who comes into his office at this unfortunate moment. Soneji stuffs Megan into a cart, and removes her from the premises.

The kidnapper brings his prey to a boat, and contacts Cross via telephone, giving him a reason to be on the case. After all, Soneji wants to match wits with the best.

That evening, Cross comes to the senator's home, and meets the FBI agent in charge (Dylan Baker) and Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter), the Secret Service agent handling security at the school. Although Flannigan's place at this point should be in the unemployment line, she persuades Alex to let her tag along, and help with the investigation.

Michael Moriarty and Penelope Ann Miller have little to do as the frantic parents, but also being saddled with the pedestrian lines of screenwriter Marc Moss is the kiss of death. Potter, although great looking (if you don't mind that she has no facial expressions), turns in such a miserable perf that she definitely passes Ali Mac Graw on the worst actress list, and would even challenge Marisa Berenson. Now THAT is saying something.

As the investigation proceeds, Cross focuses on certain matters that don't add up, such as why Megan, amidst other more notable kids, was kidnapped. The story plays out with enough bends in the road to put San Francisco's Lombard Street to shame. The biggest shock is cleverly telegraphed, if you take the time to figure out what the female lead's full name might really be.

Ultimately, the movie is entertaining, but betrays some of what's wrong with Hollywood today. Normally, a "franchise" is on the level of Rocky, Star Wars, or Indiana Jones. True, Kiss the Girls (1997) introduced novelist James Patterson's Alex Cross character to the screen, but that film was not exactly a blockbuster. Was the deal for Spider put together on the strength of a previously released moderate success, in which Morgan Freeman would star, and a mediocre script would suffice?

What about seasoned pros like Moriarty and Miller taking roles that could have been phoned in by a beginner? Was this just to sweeten the deal? And, while we're at it, why use helmer Lee Tamahori and music guru Jerry Goldsmith, when both the direction and score could have been handled by less stellar talents?

Pure entertainment is nothing to be ashamed of. Heaven knows, I've watched more than my share of popcorn flicks. The problem is, you can't live on just popcorn. 2000 didn't offer us much substance, and 2001 so far is no better. Is this what happens when a creative endeavor must answer to massive corporate interests, far removed from film making?

It looks like big budgets and lots of fluff, with not much being accomplished. Kind of like the Government.

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