"However, critic Harvey O'Brian weighed in with the sentiment that "Unlike, for example, the overblown kidnap movie "Ransom", "Along Came a Spider" plays down its sensational elements.It favours the procedural aspects of Cross' investigation which, though infected with the usual 'Eureka' factor of brilliant discoveries by the leading man at regular intervals just when it looked like he was stumped, are largely delivered with sincerity.