3 stars (out of 5)
Director: John Singleton
Cast: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver, Maria Bello, Jason Isaacs
Rating: (M)
Abduction (Hoyts) is the second film I have seen this year where parents have been forced to raise their child under a punishing martial arts regimen in order to prepare him or her for when the bad guys turn up.
Here, Nathan (Taylor Lautner) is hidden in plain sight as a suburban American teenager. Dad Kevin (Jason Isaacs) rides him to keep up his physical stamina but mum Mara (Maria Bello) is a loving presence who keeps her two men on track. So when Kevin stumbles upon his face on a missing child website, he cannot understand it.
He just thought that his parents were weird but boring in the way of all parents of teenagers. When he confronts them they confirm that they are not his biological parents but that there is a really good reason for it if he will just hear them out - then, before any more can be said, the anticipated bad men turn up.
Mara and Kevin spring into action giving Nathan time to escape before they are taken out, leaving him on the run not knowing whom to trust.
Horrified by seeing the people who loved and raised him killed and confused about the identity of his birth parents, the only bright spot is that he has Karen (Lily Collins) the girl from next door with him.
Best thing: Taylor Lautner is better than Twilight haters would have you believe.
Worst thing: Some of the dialogue is so bad, all you can do is laugh.
See it with: Your earplugs in. Those teenage girls have really high-pitched screams and he does get his shirt off early and often.
- Christine Powley
