What Taking Lives is About
Taking Lives is a 2004 psychological thriller that follows an FBI profiler—played by Angelina Jolie—as she's called in to help Montreal police track down a serial killer with a deeply unsettling modus operandi. The killer, known as "Martin Asher," doesn't just murder his victims; he assumes their identities, essentially erasing them from existence and living their lives for a time before moving on to the next target. Over nearly two decades, he's accumulated a trail of bodies and stolen identities, leaving investigators baffled by the seemingly random pattern. When Jolie's character arrives to apply her profiling expertise, she finds herself drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with an adversary who's far more methodical—and more dangerous—than initial appearances suggest. The film builds tension around the central question: Can she predict the killer's next move before he claims another victim?
Behind the Making of Taking Lives
Director D.J. Caruso, who'd go on to helm the Disturbing Behavior and would later find major success with the Eagle Eye franchise, brought Taking Lives to the screen in 2004 based on Michael Pye's 1999 novel of the same name. The adaptation was written by Jon Bokenkamp, who crafted a screenplay that tightens the source material's sprawl into a lean 102-minute psychological thriller. Caruso assembled a cast with considerable pedigree: Angelina Jolie, fresh off her Oscar win for Girl, Interrupted, anchors the film as the profiler, while Ethan Hawke provides a menacing counterpoint as a suspicious local who may—or may not—be involved. Kiefer Sutherland, Olivier Martinez, Tchéky Karyo, and Jean-Hugues Anglade round out the ensemble, lending gravitas to what might've otherwise been a standard crime procedural. The film was rated R for language and some violence, positioning it squarely in the adult thriller market. While it didn't become a major box-office phenomenon, it found its audience among fans of methodical crime cinema and Jolie's dramatic work.
Why Taking Lives Resonates
What's striking about Taking Lives is how it refuses to settle for the obvious. Yes, it's got the surface trappings of a serial-killer procedural—the profiler, the crime scenes, the cat-and-mouse dynamic—but there's something more unsettling lurking beneath. The killer's obsession with stealing identities rather than simply murdering speaks to a kind of psychological hunger that goes beyond the typical slasher mentality. He's not just taking lives; he's consuming them, trying on different existences like clothes. Jolie, for her part, brings an intensity to the role that prevents the character from becoming a stock FBI agent. She's vulnerable but sharp, willing to take risks that verge on reckless, and you can see the investigation beginning to warp her own sense of self as she tries to inhabit the killer's psychology. Ethan Hawke injects just enough menace into his supporting role to keep viewers guessing—a smart casting choice that plays directly into the film's themes of misdirection and hidden identities. Honestly, the film's greatest strength is that it doesn't always telegraph where it's going. Some critics have found the plot far-fetched, and there's truth in that. But within the world Caruso creates—set against Montreal's cold, atmospheric streets—the logic of obsession and psychological warfare holds. Movie OTT tracks where thrillers like this are streaming, making it easy to revisit films that prioritize mood and character over pure plot mechanics.
Where to Stream Taking Lives Online
If you're looking to watch Taking Lives, you can currently find it on Prime Video. The film's available through that platform, so you won't need to hunt across multiple subscription services. Whether you're a fan of Angelina Jolie's dramatic work or you're drawn to methodical crime thrillers, it's worth checking the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page to confirm current availability in your region, as streaming rights shift regularly. Prime Video's library of psychological thrillers makes it a solid home for this kind of material.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed Taking Lives?
D.J. Caruso directed Taking Lives in 2004. Caruso went on to direct other thrillers including Eagle Eye and Disturbing Behavior, establishing himself as a craftsman of suspenseful, character-driven crime cinema.
Q: Is Taking Lives based on a true story?
No, Taking Lives isn't based on a true story, though it's loosely adapted from Michael Pye's 1999 novel of the same name. The screenplay by Jon Bokenkamp takes creative liberties with the source material to intensify the psychological elements.
Q: How long is Taking Lives?
The film runs 102 minutes, making it a tight, focused thriller that doesn't overstay its welcome. That runtime allows Caruso to maintain tension without the narrative sagging in the middle act.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for Taking Lives?
Taking Lives holds a 6.2 out of 10 on IMDb, reflecting mixed-to-positive reception from audiences. It's the kind of film that finds passionate defenders among thriller enthusiasts even if it didn't achieve universal critical acclaim.
Q: Where can I watch Taking Lives right now?
You can stream Taking Lives on Prime Video. Check the streaming availability widget on this page for the most current information on where it's available in your location, as platforms and licensing can vary by region.
Final Thoughts on Taking Lives
Taking Lives isn't a perfect film, but it's a competent, atmospheric thriller that understands the appeal of psychological cat-and-mouse games. Jolie and Hawke carry the weight well, and Caruso's direction keeps things moving without resorting to cheap scares. If you're in the mood for a crime thriller that doesn't insult your intelligence—one that trusts you to follow its twists and turns—it's worth your time. Movie OTT makes it simple to discover where films like this are currently streaming, so you can jump in whenever the mood strikes.
