Suspect Zero

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2:04

Suspect Zero

R

2004

1h 39m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

17%

Tomatometer

123 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

FBI agent Thomas Mackelway (Aaron Eckhart) is transferred to Albuquerque, N.M., after he mishandles the arrest of a serial killer (Keith Campbell). There he is called to investigate the gruesome murder of a salesman (Kevin Chamberlin), who turns out to be a serial killer himself. After two more killings, Thomas and his partner (Carrie-Anne Moss) conclude that Benjamin O'Ryan (Ben Kingsley), a former FBI agent with psychic abilities, is responsible for the deaths.

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Critics Consensus

Other than Ben Kingsley, there's not much to like in this preposterous thriller.

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J. Hoberman

Village Voice

Aug 31, 2004

Slips on the banana peel of exaggerated fear factor, falling facedown with the introduction of an ber-creep serial killer (Ben Kingsley) grimly stalking some hapless prey.

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Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

Aug 30, 2004

[A] visually jarring, psychologically daring trip that explores terror in a fresh, if crazy, manner.

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Aug 29, 2004

1/5

Instead of building suspense and tension, Suspect Zero devotes its efforts to creating a weird and creepy milieu that will leave fans of police procedurals wanting and avant-garde enthusiasts scratching their heads.

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Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Aug 7, 2008

3/5

Russ Breimeier

Christianity Today

Oct 11, 2006

.5/4

Essentially an X-files episode that wishes it were as disturbing and visually arresting as David Fincher's Seven (it's not).

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Apr 30, 2005

2/4

...one of those seemingly foolproof flicks that just doesn't work...

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Oct 1, 2026

Eckhart and Moss couldn't find their way outta this deflated plot about a serial killer (also FBI) being a killer of other serial killers.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 20, 2026

Suspect Zero = a *2* star Movie!

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Marco L

@decatur555 Aug 20, 2026

Suspect Zero is far more interesting than its limited reputation suggests. E. Elias Merhige develops the investigation gradually, mixing a recognizable FBI thriller with increasingly unusual elements that give the film an identity beyond its obvious Seven and The Silence of the Lambs influences. Aaron Eckhart provides a solid center, but Ben Kingsley is the real attraction, bringing unsettling calm and ambiguity to every scene he enters. The film occasionally pushes its fragmented imagery too hard and some ideas work better than others, yet the mystery remains engaging throughout. Its combination of serial-killer investigation and paranormal territory will not work for everyone, but it worked for me. For a 2004 thriller I had barely heard about, this was a very pleasant surprise and one that deserved a much stronger afterlife.

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J H

@UpstateNYThriller Jul 22, 2026

6/5/10 Drama / Suspense movie Guy with supernatural powers goes looking for serial killers to kill. He was originally special agent in FBI. The guy from thank you for smoking is in it. Creepy Drama Suspense

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Joaquin U

@Joaquin1 May 24, 2026

Mildly entertaining, but it turns dull halfway through. Starts interesting, then loses pace, slows to a crawl, and you stop caring. Veteran actor Ben Kingsley does what he can, but there’s not much to work with. The rest of the cast is fine. The script is the real stinker, and the director never finds a rhythm. Watchable, sure—but you can do much better.

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David W

@Sternhammer Apr 11, 2026

What a great film that was. My wife and I loved this. It's an absolute travesty that this seems so poorly regarded. An absolutely fantastic script, great direction and the performances by Eckhart and Kingsley were superb. Unique and criminally underrated.

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E. Elias Merhige

Director

Aaron Eckhart

FBI Agent Thomas Mackelway

Ben Kingsley

Benjamin O'Ryan

Carrie-Anne Moss

Fran Kulok

Harry Lennix

Rich Charleton

Kevin Chamberlin

Harold A. Speck

Suspect Zero: Official Clip - We Saw Things Men Shouldn't See

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - Project Icarus

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - O'Ryan's Not the Guy

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - Shut It Off For Me

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - He Can See

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - It Was There, And We Found It

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - Circle With a Slash

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - Locating Mackelway

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Suspect Zero: Official Clip - A String of Serial Killers

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Suspect Zero: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

FBI agent Thomas Mackelway (Aaron Eckhart) is transferred to Albuquerque, N.M., after he mishandles the arrest of a serial killer (Keith Campbell). There he is called to investigate the gruesome murder of a salesman (Kevin Chamberlin), who turns out to be a serial killer himself. After two more killings, Thomas and his partner (Carrie-Anne Moss) conclude that Benjamin O'Ryan (Ben Kingsley), a former FBI agent with psychic abilities, is responsible for the deaths.

Director: E. Elias Merhige
Producer: Paula Wagner
Screenwriter: Zak Penn, Billy Ray
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Lakeshore Entertainment, InterMedia Film Equities Ltd.
Rating: R (Some Nudity|Language|Violent Content)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 27, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.7M
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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