Film Reviews

Abduction

• Rating:
• Director: John Singleton
• Starring: Alfred Molina
• Details: US / 106 mins (15A)

US / 106 mins (15A)

You could leave Abduction after five minutes, ask for your money back, and still get everything you (I'm assuming you're a tween girl, and if not go see Warrior or Drive and stop reading this) wanted from this film. See, that's how long it takes for young Lautner to get his man-nipples out. The only other noteworthy thing about this awful production is that it's directed by the man behind 'Boyz 'n' the Hood' - which is utterly depressing.
In an actually semi-decent concept for a movie, Lautner plays a teenager who stumbles across a picture of himself as a child on a missing person's website. Soon after he realises that his parents are not in fact his parents, and is then chased by some very dangerous people - including obligatory shady types, The CIA. Naturally, there's a chick involved; a young neighbour who manages to get caught up in all the crazy shenanigans.
Completely ripping off numerous films from Wanted to The Bourne Identity and (strangely) Knight and Day, if they had've stuck to the core story of a kid trying to figure out who his real parents are, this could've been a lot more fun. Sure, it's easy to throw verbal assaults in the way of Taylor Lautner - he's the worst thing about a generally-derided-outside-of-its-fanbase-franchise - but he cannot carry a film. While Robert Pattinson looks for meaty roles, and an excuse to prove himself (which he did with Water for Elephants), Lautner is going for the easy money - which would be fine if he had actual charisma. But his shortcomings as an actor are evident with every close-up in Abduction.
As bad as Lautner is, it really comes down to the script and direction - both of which are shockingly absent. Singleton has absolutely no impact on the action scenes, and although his leading man has the obvious physicality for such a stunt-heavy part, it's never really utilised as well as it should have been. The film should have played to his strengths, instead, it merely highlights his weaknesses.
The sense in casting an actor whose core audience are young girls, in a film obviously designed to appeal to young males is baffling. Lautner may very well grow as an actor, but he's awful here and the script and direction are worse.

Review by Mike Sheridan