Sony // 2002 // 106 Minutes // Rated R
Reviewed by Judge Patrick Naugle (Retired) // December 18th, 2002
Fear strikes back.
When rich doctor Will Jennings (Stuart Townsend, Queen Of The Damned) and his loving wife Karen (Charlize Theron, The Devil's Advocate) find their daughter in the clutches of whacked out kidnapper Joey (Kevin Bacon, Hollow Man) and his two accomplices (Courtney Love and Pruitt Taylor-Vince), they have no choice but to strike back! After their daughter is taken to an undisclosed location, Karen (who is at home) and Will (who is on a business trip) are suddenly at the mercy of Joey and his crew. Their demands: within 24 hours they want money wired to a Seattle bank account or they'll kill the Jennings' little angel (who, to complicate things, is also severely asthmatic). With the clock ticking, Will and Karen must use all their strength and ingenuity to figure out how to get their child back before it's too late!
Like people, movies can sometimes be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Trapped was released at the height of the whole "child kidnapping" scare that gripped our country in the summer/fall of 2002. Subsequently, the film tanked at the box office, proving that when terror is on the rise, folks don't want to spend nine dollars to watch even more realistic horror unfold in their local multiplex. Inherently there's nothing wrong with Trapped -- the movie is a well made, slickly paced thriller that provides viewers with multiple thrills and chills as two frantic parents race the clock to keep their child alive. While I wasn't very stoked to watch Trapped, I found myself sucked into the story and sort of caring about a few of the characters. After the end credits begin rolling, I found myself liking the movie much more than anticipated. The film is based on Greg Iles novel "24 Hours." Iles also wrote the screenplay, and while it doesn't always transcend its limitations (rich people at the mercy of kidnappers...Ransom, anyone?), overall it's a well oiled tension machine. I liked a lot of the banter between the characters -- Iles may not be William Goldman, but he does have a fancy ear for dialogue. Kevin Bacon pops up once more in his patented "wacky psycho" roles; Charlize Theron is decent as the flailing, frantic mother; and Courtney Love is...well, Courtney Love (better than you'd think, but not good enough to make her a standout). The adorable Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam) is cute as a button in a role that requires her to say "mommy" a lot while appearing really scared. It's all wrapped around a glossy Hollywood budget that services a loud, unbelievable finale. Though there isn't much in the way of originality when it comes to the story, characters, and situations, don't let it ever be said that Trapped isn't entertaining and enthralling. I give this movie a thumbs up, but I do it in the dark where no one can see me.
Trapped is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Columbia has once again produced a fine, crystal clear transfer that sports little in the way of imperfections. While I did spot a small amount of edge enhancement in a few scenes, overall this transfer is very solid. The colors and black levels are all spot on without any bleeding or pixelation in the image. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in both English and French. Much like the video portions of this disc, the sound mix is very solid. There are a multitude of directional effects and surround sounds to be found on this track, including a rollicking score at the film's bombastic finale. All aspects of the mix are free and clear of any hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc are English and French subtitles.
It's a little surprising how many features were included for a movie that drummed up little to no cash in the theaters. Starting off this disc is not one but two commentary tracks, one by director Luis Mandoki and a second by writer Greg Iles. While neither of these tracks seem all that interesting (they are very slow), some good character, story, and production facts are tossed out for the viewer. A 20-minute making-of featurette includes the typical talking heads and clips from the film. The most interesting fact here is that the screenplay was written by the author before the novel was penned. Five non-anamorphic deleted scenes are included that shed a little more light on a few of the characters. An alternate ending is basically the same as the original with only a slightly different end scene. Finally there are a few filmographies on the cast and crew, as well as a theatrical trailer for Trapped and various other Columbia movies.
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Scales of Justice
Judgment: 84
Perp Profile
Studio: Sony
Video Formats:
* 1.85:1 Anamorphic
Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (English)
* Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (French)
Subtitles:
* English
* French
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Release Year: 2002
MPAA Rating: Rated R
Distinguishing Marks
* Commentary Track by Director Luis Mandoki
* Commentary Track by Writer Greg Iles
* "Making Of Trapped" Featurette
* Five Deleted Scenes
* Alternate Ending
* Filmographies
* Theatrical Trailers
Accomplices
* IMDb
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0280380/combined