Review of Captive (2015) by Patrick L — 07 May 2016

"David Oyelowo and Kate Mara are accomplished actors but they are way too good for this material".

DVD Movie Review: Captive.

Date Viewed: January 16 2016.

Directed By Jerry Jameson (Airport '77 and Raise the Titantic).

Screenplay By Brian Bird, Based on the novel "Unlikely Angel" by Ashley Smith.

Starring: David Oyelowo, Kate Mara, Leonor Varela, Mimi Rogers, Jessica Oyelowo and Michael K. Williams.

David Oyelowo and Kate Mara are accomplished actors but they are held captive by a Christian drama that doesn't have a prayer. The acting is really good and it isn't as terrible as other movies in this genre but it could've been much better if the filmmakers have removed all the Christian themes in it.

"Captive" is based on the true story of Brian Nichols (Oyelowo), a man who has just been convicted for raping his wife but he insists it wasn't like that at all. After being convicted of his crimes, Brian easily escapes from prison by knocking a policewoman out cold and he murders three people in the process, the judge who was presiding his trial, a court reporter and a police sergeant. After leaving the courthouse, Nichols then murders an ICE special agent who was off from duty. Nichols becomes a wanted man and he is desperate to make contact with his newborn son.

Meanwhile, Ashley Smith (Mara), is a recovering meth addict who is anxious to see her daughter again. Due to her addiction, Smith was deemed unfit to take care of her daughter. While her daughter is in under the care of her aunt Kim Rogers (Mimi Rogers), Smith works as a waitress for a local diner and she goes for treatment weekly. Things immediately change when she gets taken hostage by Brian Nichols.

On the hunt for Nichols is Detective John Chestnut (Michael K. Williams), he is desperate to find him before he harms anybody else. With their troubled lives now collided with each other, Smith and Nichols turn to a Christian-themed self-help book for guidance, it is Rick Warren's 2002 best-seller The Purpose Driven Life. By listening to Smith reading the book, Nichols hopes to seek God for forgiveness.

This hostage thriller may have two good performances from Oyelowo and Mara but "Captive" is full of baloney. As the credits roll, the movie shows a clip of the real Ashley Smith being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and with author Rick Warren coming out to give her a big hug. People this is so sucky.

"Captive" was directed by Jerry Jameson who has a huge number of TV credits to his name including "Murder, She Wrote", "Magnum, P.I.", "Walker, Texas Ranger" and "Touched by an Angel". Oh yeah, this guy also did cheesy B-flicks "Airport '77" and "Raise the Titanic".

Amazing true stories can turn into compelling dramas but "Captive" is not one of them. It would've been better off as a Lifetime movie of the week.