edwagreen
While we have superior acting in this film, the ending kills the picture. It relies too heavily on a final chase scene by aircraft into a crowded highway. The results are most astounding in a film with an excellent plot.Kevin Bacon, Courtney Love and Pruitt Vance play a threesome engaged in kidnappings. They've done it 4 times, but in this one, Bacon has an ulterior motive.This kidnapping is destined to have problems from the very beginning. The child victim is severely asthmatic.As stated there is some fine acting here, by Charlize Theron as the mother turning the tables on Bacon, Courtney Love, as Bacon's wife, vulnerable, but vicious, until she realizes what her husband is really up to.Had they worked around the ending, the picture would have even been better. After all,Bacon played a cool, calm character throughout the early part of the film.
kai ringler
I thought this was an excellent thriller, Kevin Bacon was great in this creepy role,, Charlize Theron is hot in this movie to say the last, when she takes it almost all off. Dakota Fanning was just wonderful, she is the best child actress out there by far. I thought the plot line was great kidnappers bragging about how they always get away with it,, also Courtney Love was hot in this movie,, she should have had more lines or less clothes in this movie. The story get's off to a neat start with a previous kidnapping of a little boy. throughout the movie the intensity builds to a crecendo where you don't know what gonna quite just happen next,, i thought the whole movie played out well, the amazing crashes at the end on the I-5 Freeway was pretty neat,, I didn't care for the husban'ds character, Stuart Townsend, felt they just made the wrong choice in picking him, but hey this movie is suspenseful, and it rocks..
ananias73
First (1987) "Fatal Attraction" was released, where James Dearden (writer) shows us how to protect ourselves from the fear of HIV: Family. Then other films have to do with the fear of an unknown terror that interrupts the family happiness ("The Hand that Rocks the Cradle", "One Hour Photo", "Ransom", Unlawful Entry" etc.). Same old story in this film. The kidnappers are simply stupid (Bacon in his usual psycho portrait, Courtney Love tries hard to act), "family hug" can save us from every danger and father (another stupid character) decide to land his plane in the middle of the road not seeming to care how many people he might kill only to save his daughter! This disaster scene at the end destroys everything in the movie. Although Theron (unrealistic reactions from her) learn to us where you can hind a knife to save your life!
med_1978
I had seen this movie a couple of years ago and thought it was good. I decided to buy it a few months back and finally got round to watching it last week. A friend wanted to watch something and had not seen this film before.I felt extremely pleased that I had purchased this film, as it had delivered more than anticipated. I actually thought it was even better on the second viewing.The Performance of Charlize Theron was amazing and incredibly believable, the terror on her face and the fear of what may happen to her daughter. Kevin Bacon was almost equally as good as the sleazy kidnapper with a hidden agenda. Dakota Fanning put in decent performance as the kidnapped child as did Pruitt Taylor Vince as Bacon's mentally challenged accomplice. Stuart Towsend performed okay as Theron's husband and Courtney Love was decent in her role considering she is not really an actress.Essentially though it is Theron and Bacon that dominate this film with towering performances that really cement their reputations as excellent actors. I found the tension at times unbearable and it really keeps you on the edge of your seat. The ending is bit ludicrous and over the top, but overall on reflection the movie really was entertaining, well acted and tense. I think this is a movie I will want to watch many times. Everyone I know who has seen it agrees that this is an excellent thriller, and having seen Red Eye yesterday and other similar movies such as Don't Say a Word, and Cellular I can honestly say I believe Trapped to be superior to those mentioned and one of the better examples of this type of thriller. Why do film studios or directors insist on spoiling these types of films with over the top action packed endings though? 7/10
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