In 2008, Taken set the bar for which all other parent-rescues-child movies would be measured. Let’s be clear: Halle Berry is no Liam Neeson, but she works hard to bring the audience along on a rollercoaster ride as she seeks to free her son from his captors. For the record, this one works better than Jamie Foxx’s attempt, Sleepless!
The biggest name attached that’s not Berry is Lorenzo di Bonaventura, one of the producers behind the Transformers franchise, Angelina Jolie’s Salt, the Red franchise, and recent releases, American Made and Only the Brave. That may be the problem here – while Berry knows her way around thrillers (The Call, Perfect Stranger), this one could’ve been more of a blockbuster with a different cast.
As a result, this is a solid rental – it’s not going to win an award, but it might entertain you if you’re filling indifferent to the Oscar hopefuls or the rising theater prices. And who can’t be encouraged by watching a mother do everything in her power to save her son? The motivation doesn’t get any more pure than that.
The special feature on the Blu-ray/Digital: A Look Inside Kidnap – Star Halle Berry, Director Luis Prieto, and 2nd Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator Steven Ritzi discuss how Karla Dyson’s desperation to rescue her son made her capable of the extraordinary.
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