'Zero' reason to see this movie

It is amazing that an actor like Ben Kingsley, who is both talented and respected, can jump from Oscar-nominated performances to movies that make you wish you had waited for video.\n"Suspect Zero," the new thriller starring Kinglsey ("Gandhi," "House of Sand and Fog") and Aaron Eckhart ("In the Company of Men," "Erin Brockovich"), has the makings for an interesting and suspenseful film, but is as memorable as Kingsley's previous disaster, "Thunderbirds."\n"Zero" tells the story of agent Thomas Mackelway (Eckhart), the soft-spoken FBI agent who is transferred to Albuquerque, N.M., only to jump into what would, in the real world, probably be one of the biggest manhunts in U.S. history. \nCarrie-Anne Moss ("The Matrix" series), in her worst role to date, plays Agent Fran Kulok who is sent from Dallas to assist her ex-partner and lover, agent Mackelway, in investigating a string of random murders.\nThe film does not bother to build up any of the characters, but instead jumps right into the search for the 'suspect zero,' a serial killer who does not fit the conventional patterns.\nAs the two agents dive deeper into the case they realize the serial killer Benjamin O'Ryan (Kingsley) is in fact hunting down other serial killers and was once an FBI profiler. By channeling the suspect's brain waves, O'Ryan is able to see these killers' every move, ultimately hunting them down. \nFor reasons that are never fully explained, O'Ryan contacts the FBI through faxes and letters with clues for finding a killer who is on a nationwide kidnapping spree. \nThe explanations for O'Ryan's motives are never given, and we only get snippets of information regarding his FBI experience, ultimately leaving us with one boring psychopath.\nWhat truly makes "Suspect Zero" such a mess is how detached the characters are from each other and ultimately, how detached they are from the viewer. There are very few emotional interactions between the characters, especially when the agents interrogate the family members of the victims.\nThe director of "Suspect Zero," E. Elias Merhige ("Shadow of a Vampire"), does, however, bring a certain amount of visual style to this film, something very reminiscent of 2000's "The Cell," another flawed thriller. \nThe cinematography makes good use of shadows and grainy images, giving the appearance of suspense, while the film's simple pan flute soundtrack is eerie at times.\nIn many ways "Suspect Zero" could have been on the same level as David Fincher's masterpiece "Se7en" through the unique style that Merhige brings to it, but in the end falls short due to a poorly-written script and dull characters.