Criminally entertaining

Galina_movie_fan

score 10/10

The drama/mystery/thriller "Criminal Minds" is truly an amazing show. I started only watching it couple of months ago, and I can't believe that it took me so long to discover it. This is the show where each episode reminds me of my favorite book on the subject of finding the serial killers by trying to get inside their minds and to think the way they do, and equally terrific adaptation, Red Dragon by Thomas Harris/Manhunter by Michael Mann. Again and again the team of the brilliant profilers, fly from their headquarters in Quantico, VA to different locations all over the country to put their minds together and complete the profile of the mysterious unsub (unknown subject) and to prevent the next strike which would be deadly. This is a very difficult, demanding and exhausting job where the lives of innocent people are at stake and every minute, even second matters. This job takes its toll from every member of the team. Often they have to make very difficult choices and more than once they face the deadly danger not only to themselves but to those who are the closest to them.

Since I started watching the show, I am trying to catch up the seasons that I missed, so I watch the re-runs every time I have a chance getting the "crash course" of Criminal Minds. What amazes me that watching so many episodes in such short period of time only makes me wanting to see more. I don't recall a single mediocre episode. All of them share the intelligent writing, compelling story, inspired acting from the regular members of the cast (an elite team of FBI profilers - BAU analysts) and the guest stars. I like the music score and the choice of songs is very fitting for each occasion. I also like the famous quotes which one of the team members tells in the end of each episode, which sums up the story perfectly. More than once, I was moved deeply by the way the story was going and its resolution. What keeps me entrancing to the screen during each episode is the brain storm, the collective mind of the team putting the evidence, the small details together, analyzing them, searching for the right question to ask their super computer analyst Penelope Garcia; so she would perform her magic and come up with the one name - of the unsub who must be stopped before he attacks deadly again.

I also noticed how masterfully the creators make the references not only to the real life famous cases but to the earlier films and books. I recognized the references to Tom Harris's Dr. Hannibal's books (the horrifying parts of "Hannibal" made one of the darkest and devastating two-hours episode) and films, to "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer", to "Natural Born Killers". One memorable episode paid homage to both "Psycho" and "Sunset Boulevard". Often, the writers find the subjects for the episodes from the latest news. But no matter where they find the topics for the show, each episode comes out as gripping and absorbing from the first moment to the very end. To put it shortly -the must for the fans of the genre.

Galina_movie_fan 28 January 2012

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2556861/