Abduction Review

Abduction Review

Nathan is your average teenage boy, he parties, he drinks, he rides a motorcycle, and...oh wait no average teenage boy does these things. From the beginning you have to put aside logic and reason if you want to enjoy Abduction. If you are capable of this then you will likely enjoy your time, if you can't then you won't be pleased in the least.

At first glance at the promotion for this film you see nothing but Taylor Lautner, but look closer and you find all kinds of wasted talent.  Director John Singleton does a great job of putting his star into the best possible company. Great actors like Alfred Molina and Sigourney Weaver, and up and coming talents like Jason Issacs, Michael Nyqvist, and Maria Bello all try to make the best of what they are given. If you haven't heard of these people I am not surprised; but if you have, you understand why I said that Abduction is a waste of talent.

The real problem with the movie is the story and the script. Besides lacking in believability the script has more loose ends than a frayed knot. Every single character has a subplot designed for them that goes absolutely nowhere, slowly. The subplots slow down the movie and force the audience to listen to protracted dialog about character motives. The writer of this movie needs a lesson in "Show me-don't tell me" cinema. And while It's clever for a movie to have paranoia be a driving plot factor, and it is also great to have several suspects, you can't tell the audience to trust someone, then not trust them, only to trust them again all within the same five minute chase scene. It's frustrating, and eventually the audience stops caring.

I don't think Abduction is a terrible movie, I enjoyed a great deal of it because I could shut off my brain, and just go with it. I suppose the best way to describe Abduction is that it's a candy bar. It tastes good, but has no nutritional value. It is just a simple action film designed in an attempt to cash in on Lautner's Twilight Saga popularity. And while financially it really is a no brainer, if Lautner really desires to continue his acting career, he better not alienate "Team Jacob" with mediocre cash grabs like this.