Our take
At an hour each episode, Cross isn’t exactly an easy watch. It might be extra hard to stomach if you’re sensitive to violence and gore. But with Aldis Hodge playing the titular detective, it makes for a compelling watch. Hodge commands your attention every time he’s on screen, and he manages to make some of the weaker lines and story developments gripping and believable. If the central mysteries don’t keep you hooked, though, the social commentary will. As a high-ranking Black policeman, Cross is at the crossroads of duty and solidarity. Whenever he and his circle grapple with this contradiction, Cross isn’t just gripping but thought-proving as well.
What it won
Cannes
1 win
The story
Alex Cross is a brilliant but flawed homicide detective and full of contradictions. A doting father and family man, Cross is single-minded to the point of obsession when he hunts killers. He is desperate for love, but his wife’s murder has left him too damaged to receive it.
Elsewhere
"'Cross' is three-dimensional, spiky and introspective, with a streak of genuine creepiness shooting through the murky waters of DC crime."
— Sherin Nicole
"With Hodge at the center and Watkins at the helm, “Cross” is a crime drama boasting several astonishing curveballs. A detective story at its core, the series gracefully addresses the anguish of grief, toxic masculinity and the pitfalls of obsessions."
— Aramide Tinubu
Based on the bestselling book series by James Patterson, Cross follows Washington DC detective Alex Cross as he solves dangerous cases, protects his family, and confronts personal demons.
Why isn’t Aldis Hodge in more films?
It’s slow-moving and predictable at times, but the compelling lead performances make it worth the watch.
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
