The first time I saw a promo poster for this film at a cinema, a friend of mine quipped that the titular abduction was probably going to be of Taylor Lautner’s shirt. She wasn’t far off, though there’s less of an actual abduction, and more ab-duction going on in this one.
As a somewhat jaded adult reviewer, it’s hard to write up a film like this. Clearly, the movie was made with the 12-18 year old demographic in mind, and it will most likely find a willing and downright enthusiastic audience in that bracket. Movie studios are savvy to how much pocket money kids have at their disposal, and aren’t afraid to make a film aimed squarely at the Facebook generation. Unfortunately, anyone but the most undemanding viewer over the age of about 20 is going to spend most of their time chuckling with despair and rolling their eyes if they give this a look.
What it probably comes down to is teenage girls (not that I’m blaming them- I used to be one so, I remember what it as like.) Teenage girls love Taylor Lautner. I don’t know if it’s his physique, the cheeky grin or the air of bad boy he tries to project, but his female fans have been know to put on displays of fangirling that make Beatlemania look like high tea. Lautner is still very green, being known almost exclusively for his roll of love-interest Jacob Black in the Twilight franchise. He has a large burden to carry here- basically the entire movie. He’s the major draw-card, and the studios obviously consider him a worthwhile investment, seeing as they put him front and centre with nowhere to hide if it all went bad. He gives it his best shot. The fight sequences are great, and he performs those well. However the dialogue is so humdrum and cliché, I couldn’t tell you if the kid can actually act.
Playing opposite him is Lily Collins, still a relative newcomer in the industry. She has eyebrows to rival Brooke Shields’ (wait, does anyone here know who I’m talking about? Am I showing my age that badly?!) She takes what she’s given and does her best playing the girl-next-door love interest. Aside from being supportive and kissable, there’s not much for a young woman to do it this type of movie, but at least all the fangirls watching can imagine being her... *sigh*
The most surprising element by far is how many amazing adult actors do their bit . Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello, Sigourney Weaver and Alfred Molina all try in measures to give the film credibility, but even they can’t inject charisma into the limp script.
The overall effect of this movie reflects back to the golden age of bad action flicks- the 90’s- and this movie could easily have come from the Keanu Reeves or Jean Claude Van Damme vault. There’s biffo, car chases, Eastern European villains, estranged parents, concealed weapons (no, I’m not talking about Lautner’s ‘guns’) and every other possible cliché you could shamelessly stuff into a movie; but if you’re 15 and on a date, or just like action movies, or Taylor Lautner, or Taylor Lautner action movies, you’ll probably happily suspend your disbelief (or need for plot and sharp dialogue) for Abduction.
Abduction opens nationally in cinemas today.
Join the PRTV Taylor Lautner Group here
