I've heard of people who'll actually watch a film more than once, but I get the impression that director Gregory Hoblit watched "Seven" until his eyes started to bleed. It's really ridiculous. The opening credit sequences are by the same guy. The tone is identical. Somewhere in Hoblit's house I bet there's a blow-up doll of David Fincher just begging for some rest.

Hoblit combines his infatuation with "Seven" with his experience on "NYPD Blue," which further lends to the cut-and-paste nature of this film. I think the office where Detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) and his partner, Jonesy (John Goodman), spend all their time is the exact same set as NYPD Blue's. The only way the reference could have been any more obvious was if John Goodman has pulled down his pants and flashed his ass for no particular reason.

The story is like "Touched By an Angel" for the deranged. Hobbes has just watched a psycho (Elias Koteas) get the gas for his crimes against humanity. Unfortunately, none of the guy's crimes are stopping. A couple more murders happen with his M.O. The calls Hobbes receives in the middle of the night continue. Eventually, Hobbes learns from a homely theological chick (Embeth Davidtz) that the soul of a fallen angel is roaming the Earth trying to screw up Hobbes' life. The angel's soul travels from person to person by touch.

The major hole in this story is this: What the hell is this fallen angel doing sitting around in a jail cell if all he needs to do to get out is touch a guard or a rat? Kind of a major flaw, don't you think? That's religion for you: Think a little and nothing about it seems to make much sense.