Review: Kidnap

Kidnap has a car crash scene that is edited so poorly as to only end up showing the budgetary constraints the film had. In the hands of a comedian, the cutting pattern and scene as a whole would play for huge laughs. In the theater I saw it in the scene illicit laughter that is unintended and yet the film still managed to captivate the audience and generate real suspense. Thus is the duplicitous nature of Luis Prieto's new thriller, on one hand there is a shoddily made, trashy thriller and on the other is feverishly paced semi-action film that works in fits and spurts.

Kidnap keeps its premise simple, which is a strength of the film. Halle Berry plays Karla McCoy, a divorced mother who sees her son get taken from her at a park in broad daylight. She hops in her impossibly indestructible minivan and chases after them, fighting until she gets her son back. This simple plot avoids so many of the expected cliches of this genre. Karla doesn't have to spend the first act of the film trying to convince police her son has been taken or trying to figure out where he is. The story bypasses this in favor of putting her on the road, chasing the kidnappers down within the first 10 minutes of the film. This decision by screenwriter Knate Lee gives the film momentum and the pace is kept up for the entire run time. 

Prieto occasionally goofs on making really polished action scenes. Kidnap certainly doesn't blow Baby Driver off the road as the best car chase film of the year. Kidnap does however have a breakneck pace and a few decent action scenes. It also has a few moments that allow Karla to move past her panicked state and pull off some clever and resourceful tactics to fight the hillbillies that took her son.

Kidnap delivers on what it promises and there is something to be said for that. At 81 minutes, the film hardly has time to outstay its welcome. Sure, Berry says "oh god" about 200 times in the film. Sure, there are some frustratingly dumb moments. Sure, the filmmaking craft isn't always that strong. Despite all this, Kidnap is completely watchable and fun. This is the kind of movie you catch on cable while nursing a hangover and are happy it is on. 

Go in expecting a fast pace, some unintentional laughs and a showdown between Berry and a white-trash kidnapper and you will come out pleased. The film is ridiculous but everyone in it seems committed to the project and this gives the film a chance to be trash without any sense of shame. I had fun watching it and with the right mind-set, so can you. I mean, Berry vs. bumpkins!

3/5