Originally published in Cinema Knife Fight, September
27, 2011
After his “breakout” role as Sharkboy in THE
ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVA GIRL 3D (2005) and a few smaller
roles, teenager Taylor Lautner hit the big time as the shirtless werewolf
in TWILIGHT (2008), NEW MOON (2009) and ECLIPSE (2010)
and began the infamous Jacob versus Edward debate among
a billion teenage girls. This past weekend, he broke out from his hirsute role
(and only occasionally his shirt) in the new action film ABDUCTION,
playing a high school senior who discovers that his life had been a lie when he
finds a picture of himself in an online Missing Children website.
The website, however, is a trap set by the evil Russian (I think, never really
said) mobster Kozlow (Michael Nyvqist). Nathan soon learns that his past, and
his parents, have been a lie.
I watched the movie along with two major Lautner fans: my
two daughters Amanda (16) and Audrey (14). As we settled into our seats my
expectations were minimal. In fact, my early notes covered such critical points
as the popcorn (it was really good), my risky choice of Raisinettes over
Twizzlers (good choice), and how the trailer for HAYWIRE (2011)
showed the whole friggin’ movie (I hate it when they do that; implies the film
will not be very good).
Then the movie began and, to be honest, it got off to a good
start. Lautner’s performance as a slightly wild but overall decent
high-schooler was good. He had a few close friends, including Denzel Whitaker (THE
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL – NEW ORLEANS, 2009) as his spunky black best
friend. This made me wonder (not for the first time) why films with a young
white action star seem to require the character having a spunky black best
friend, and why they have yet to make a film with an African American male lead
who has a spunky white best friend.
I do also wonder sometimes what it’s like to grow up in the
California school system, since Hollywood makes these kids seem like evil,
drunken monsters. Yes, I was a bit of a conservative and nerd in school myself,
pre-college, but there sure seems to be a lot of this in films, even supposedly
taking place in Pennsylvania. Anyway, I digress. Where was I?
Lautner’s love interest and neighbor, with whom he’s had a
crush on since they made out once during camp in middle school, was played by
relative newcomer Lily Collins. Her performance was light and we all agreed not
very strong. That’s OK, though, because Lautner overall needs a few more years
of growth as an actor before he can really shine on the screen (with his shirt
on, which was the case for all but a couple of obligatory quick scenes).
Together, then, they worked fine, but both were not as impressive as some of
the supporting cast.
My point with Lautner, and my daughters agree and, in fact,
pointed this out to me, is that his overall presence on the screen is strong –
he’s a good-looking kid and not cut from the usual action-hero mold, likely
because although he has the body of Hercules, his face still has that quiet
innocence of youth. But it’s the face that did him in this movie: his
expressive range is not the widest road in town. It’s pretty much one look:
halfway between a sweet smile and intestinal gas. This works sometimes, but not
when he’s on the phone trying to tell the police about the awful things that
had just happened to him (“parents” killed protecting him and his house was
blown to bits). He should have at least frowned a
little more. There was a scene later on when he wakes up after having been
crying in his sleep. The eye drops must have just been put in place by the
make-up artist before the director yelled “Action,” and they dripped down his
face.
Ok, I’m not trying to be mean. But for an actor to be in
every scene there has to be an ability to project emotion and drama without
words, a simple look or twitch of the mouth. Lautner’s not there yet, but I
think with time and training he will be.
As an action star who seems to do most of his own stunts,
however, this guy rocks. The climax of the film takes place at a Pittsburgh
Pirates baseball game (which I thought added a lot to the film’s
everyman-caught-in-a-web-of-intrigue atmosphere), and here his physical prowess
truly carries every scene he’s in. Just don’t zoom in too much when he’s sad,
that’s all.
I mentioned the supporting cast. Here, some made the film
truly worth watching, and others did not. One in particular in this latter
category surprised me. Sigourney Weaver (AVATAR, 2009, ALIEN,
1979, and about a hundred others), plays his psychiatrist-cum-protector. I’m a
big Weaver fan – she never fails to add something new and watch-worthy to every
role, but she was not good at all in this movie. Her
performance felt forced and flat. Now ABDUCTION plays out much
like a young adult film, which in many ways it was intended to be, since the
star’s fan base is still going through puberty, and Weaver once shined in another
YA flick, HOLES (2003), so I know she can have major chops in
any film she puts her mind to. Just not this one.
Same goes with the head of CIA pursuing Nathan before the
mob can get him, played by the Alfred Molina (SPIDER-MAN 2, 2004, CHOCOLAT,
2000?). Molina usually carries scenes well, but always as a dark, creepy type
(in the above-mentioned credits, Dr. Octopus and the uber-repressed
mayor of a small French town). His CIA chief was more annoying than anything.
Ironically, the guy who almost didn’t get any credit in the film save for a
couple short lines as one of the CIA agents, Jake Andolina (UNSTOPPABLE,
2010), was actually much better and very expressive without speaking. I think
he would have been better cast than Molina and his Weird Uncle performance.
The actors who played Nathan’s “fake” parents. Maria Bello (A
HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, 2005) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy of the HARRY
POTTER films over past decade, without the hair) were very, very good.
Their early scenes (before the mob arrived) shined with their honest, powerful
portrayals. Adding to this, and to Lautner’s credit, the young lead’s best
performances as an actor were with these two people. Lautner’s and Isaacs’
sparring, Bello’s tender love for her son and her misery when he discovers the
truth, were great scenes—were, in fact, the best performances in the film.
Michael Nyvqist (who played Mikael Blomkvistin the Swedish
films based on the GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO book series)
was good as the head mobster, though the part was as stereotypical as you’d
imagine it would be. This is a good place to talk about some loose plot holes.
Like the TV series 24 (2001-2010), the bad guys in this film
have the most amazing tracking technology at their disposal. They can even spy
on the CIA, and are constantly one step ahead of them. Just a little too good,
you know? Also, during the climactic scene at the ball park, Nathan has managed
to sneak something under his seat with duct tape before the game. How he did
this, or how his buddy could have, was never said (because, of course, it
wouldn’t have been possible). Lautner’s girlfriend (and this is the problem
with many spy thrillers when a character in dire jeopardy is saved only by a
quick scene cut), also should have finished up the second half of the movie
with a few less fingers. I won’t explain why, but trust me, she should have
(would have been too much for the fans, though, most likely) .
As mentioned, the climax at the baseball stadium was very
cool. Overall, this scene was reminiscent of old James Bond / Hitchcock films.
No, I’m being serious. It was well done (except for the thing-under-the-seat
bit). Well-played by everyone including Lautner, who obviously also did his own
stunts and shines in this kind of action-packed venue. His performance was
appropriately intense, projecting the right amount of determination and
nervousness to carry it off.
There’s no sex in the movie, and this was good. There was
the obligatory make-out train ride scene mid-way through, but they were being
hunted by killers and the filmmakers at least had the sense to realize Nathan’s
first time would not have happened then. The characters just kissed
passionately for a moment and then stopped and saved me from being embarrassed
in front of my daughters.
One last complaint (among what I think has been an equally
positive and negative review), and I won’t reveal the ending but:
after everything was over and the credits really should have rolled, the
filmmakers felt (wrongly) they needed another five minutes of everyone looking
happy and smiling and acting syrupy. Honestly, it kind of ruined a lot of the
impact of a pretty cool climactic scene. If a dénouement hurts the climax, cut
it. Simple as that. Leave them wanting more, not less.
Overall, Amanda, Audrey and I were in agreement: ABDUCTION was
entertaining, even with a few plot holes and occasional weak performances. They
enjoyed looking at Taylor Lautner. I thought his performance was OK. No real
range, which is needed for leading man, however. ABDUCTION is
not going to win any major (or minor) awards, but it doesn’t suck, either.
I thought it was worth the admission price as along as you
go to the matinee and make it a fun Daddy-Daughter(s) date. Which it was.