Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Dean Goulev I don't want to sound like an amateur film critic like most of the above, so I'll just say that this film is god-awful, with weak, unconvincing performances all round (particularly the captor). It's like watching a long-winded reconstruction on a crime phone-in show. Avoid at all costs. Clean the oven or something. Dear o dear. There really isn't anything else I can add. I could try but I'd just be waffling. OK, OK, Sarah Canning is half decent I suppose. But it ends there. It really does. Maybe give the oven a miss. wipe the tops of the cupboards or something. Or maybe watch another film altogether if you're that desperate. It really is bad.

Woodyanders Clever and resourceful 17-year-old teenager Anne Sluti (a fine and appealing performance by the attractive Sara Canning) gets kidnapped by the unstable and dangerous Tony Zappa (well played with frightening intensity by James Van Der Beek). Anne uses her considerable smarts to manipulate her captor into keeping her alive throughout her harrowing six day ordeal. Director Gary Yates, working from a compact script by Charlene Blaine and Kim Delgado, relates the gripping story at a steady pace, wisely avoids lurid sensationalism, and grounds the narrative in a believable everyday world. Anne's bold game of wits with her captor creates a substantial amount of drama and tension (the climax with Anne and Tony holed up in a house surrounded by a SWAT team in particular is quite taut and suspenseful). The sound acting rates as another definite plus: Levar Burton as the compassionate Detective Mike Timbrook, Diana Reis and Tom Anniko as Anne's worried parents, Brian Edward Roach as Anne's equally concerned brother Tom, and Alexandra Castillo as determined FBI agent Reynolds. Brenton Spencer's crisp cinematography makes galvanizing use of a constantly moving camera. Jeff Toyne's spare moody score likewise does the trick. A worthwhile telefilm.

dbborroughs TV movie about a girl who is kidnapped in broad daylight who manipulates her capture until she can get away. Another based on a true story tale that follows both the girl and her captor and the investigation into her disappearance. Adequately made with good performances, the film suffers in that it doesn't really strive to be much more than it is. It's a TV movie of the week and nothing more. The result is it plays like any number of similar movies even though at times it spins a tale that isn't run of the mill. This could have been so much better had the producers not used the "TV Formula Machine" on the story and let the stories own power speak for itself, I mean isn't that what drew them to the story in the first place? In all honesty unless you've seen very few movies odds are you've seen better.

wilmac291 I can only assume this was "based on real events", as the whole story could have been told in 20 minutes. Unfortunately, it lasted much longer. Long stretches of stupidity compounded by boredom. The lack of depth was astonishing. (Did they ever speak to ANYONE that witnessed the abduction?) James Van Der Beek's career has apparently found his level, and perhaps he is at minute 14. The most intrigue in the whole mess were the clues our abductee would leave in her phone calls. But it only took once for LeVar Burton to say "play that back" to realize he was going to crack the code each time. If you didn't see every event coming up the street, you are movie-impared. Unless you are forced at gunpoint (and even then, perhaps take a chance the gun isn't loaded?), avoid this long, anti-climactic, poorly acted piece of drivel at all costs.