Netflix has a lot to answer for when it comes to the renewed interest, popularity and visibility that serial killers have in the cultural sphere these days, with the streaming service’s succession of documentaries drawing in huge viewership figures while generating plenty of debate, discourse and discussion on social media.
The increased fascination with multiple homicides has now stretched into fictional territory, with a pair of crime thrillers stacked on top of each other on the most-watched list. However, the notable difference between them is that one is an acclaimed and atmospheric modern classic, while the other one sucks.
As per FlixPatrol, David Fincher’s phenomenal Zodiac is directly behind D.J. Caruso’s Taking Lives on the charts, with the latter somehow becoming Netflix’s most popular murderous movie at the time of writing. Given that it underwhelmed from both a critical and commercial perspective after first landing in theaters seventeen years ago, the surprising success of the whodunnit comes out of the blue.
Angelina Jolie’s winning performance is about the only thing from Taking Lives worth mentioning, as her FBI agent tracks a killer that impersonates his most recent victims before moving on. It’s a solid premise, but the execution is sorely lacking, although Netflix subscribers evidently don’t care in the slightest.