Abduction

Director: John Singleton
Cast: Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Michael Nyqvist, Alfred Molina and Sigourney Weaver
DVD release: 19 January 2012
Rated: M

A lumpy action thriller with the implausible premise of a couple of teenagers taking on the CIA and the powers of evil, Abduction has a risible script that caused the audience to laugh at all the wrong places. A vehicle for the latest heartthrob from the Twilight series Taylor Lautner, it's best action scene comes at the end in the baseball park, and Lautner's slide down the glass awning. The opening ten minutes setting up the protagonist's background in the plot is effective, but the rest of the film simply doesn't live up to the promise.

Nathan Harper (Lautner) is an athletic active teenager not quite sure of his identity. When his class friend Karen (Lily Collins) discovers a picture on a missing persons website of Nathan as a little boy, he suspects his parents aren't his real ones and he's been living a lie. Realizing there's a dark conspiracy at work, he's soon plunged into a world of espionage and dire danger. Nathan's only able to trust Karen, and they're soon on the run from the CIA, and a group of mysterious and determined assassins lead by the stony-faced Kozlow (Michael Nyqvist).  

Nathan's 'stand-in' parents - apparently working for the agency - are quickly dispatched from the movie, although the mother Mara (Maria Bello) puts up a spunky fight. Totally confused and shaken up, Nathan and Karen desperately try to escape omnipresent Agent Burton (Alfred Molina), a controller at the CIA.

However the real danger comes from sinister Kozlow and his band of killers. CIA operative Dr. Bennett (Sigourney Weaver) appears on the scene and briefly explains the true situation with the threat of Kozlow out to get Nathan (believed to have important espionage secrets). The shocked lad with Karen tagging along has the army of assassins on his heels. To discover the mystery of his real father and survive the pursuers, Nathan decides to stand his ground and fight back.

Taylor Lautner is a pleasant enough young actor, but while he actually did many of the stunts in the movie himself, he isn't quite action hero material; although admittedly going from typical teenager to James Bond is a giant leap to take. He never really gels in the role, despite removing his shirt for female admirers. No doubt teenage girls will flock to the movie because of Lautner, although their boyfriends may not be so impressed. They could be looking for more sense and substance in their films.

The plot has more holes than Gruyere cheese and just doesn't hold together, so fails to suspend disbelief. Clunky dialogue is amongst the worst in recent history. When poor Michael Nyqvist has to deliver with a straight face, “And I'll kill all your friends on Facebook” something is seriously amiss. The young audience roared with laughter at my preview screening, seeing the unintentionally funny side of such ludicrous remarks. 

As directed by John Singleton (2 Fast 2 Furious) from the first feature screenplay of Shawn Christensen, the movie lurches along at a reasonable pace, yet sadly lacks realism and conviction. Cinematography is stylish as expected in action films on decent budgets. But what a waste of such talented actors as Sigourney Weaver (Avatar) and Alfred Molina (The Tempest); not to mention excellent Swedish performer Michael Nyquist of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  How did he get into this mess?  Lily Collins (Priest) works hard as the romantic interest without creating much impression.

While perhaps not making the cut with serious audiences, no doubt Lautner's fans will chalk up the numbers, so against the odds Abduction could do well at box office - despite it being the least commendable action film in a long time.

John Bale