Review of Kidnapped (2010) by Matt S — 21 Jul 2011

As a horror fan I wasn't impressed with this at all! It was brutal but not memorable, it was tense but senseless and predictable, it's not a game changer and in the end it was a pointless violent movie like the Funny Games remake that wasted good performances.

It starts out with a normal well off family of three moving in a spacious new home when intruders break in and all hell breaks loose, yes it's familiar, same old formula that has been done to death and they don't even try to pull out any new tricks, sure the split screen was clever but I felt like I was watching a very violent episode of 24 or something and it kind of bugged me after awhile.

The movie tries to be shocking but it came off as by the numbers and dull with a bunch of screaming and yelling without being truly terrifying and suspenseful and the ending was vicious but not satisfying at all and the very beginning bit didn't really make sense with the rest of the movie I mean was that the dad or a whole new dad and family that are falling victim to the crime, I just don't know.

This movie really should be called Intruders because they all pretty much stay at their home while the intruders get money off them and no one literally gets kidnapped. Overall it's a way too familiar movie that tries nothing new and falls victim to the same old formulas and based on some critics rave reviews it's a very disappointing, violently senseless film that will make you roll your eyes in disgust than be scared out of your mind like the movie The Strangers which is a much better home invasion film.

Not recommended!