Captivity (2007)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Roland Joffé

Writers (WGA):

Larry Cohen (screenplay) and
Joseph Tura (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 July 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

When You Think The Worst Has Happened....Think Worse

Plot:

A man and a woman awaken to find themselves captured in a cellar. As their kidnapper drives them psychologically mad, the truth about their horrific abduction is revealed.

Plot Keywords:

Torture | Model | Escape | Cellar | Captive

Awards:

4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 14

2:45 AM

TMC

Cast

Elisha Cuthbert	...	Jennifer Tree
Daniel Gillies	...	Gary Dexter
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Ben Dexter
Michael Harney	...	Det. Bettiger
Laz Alonso	...	Det. Ray Di Santos
Maggie Damon	...	Detective Susan Luden
Chrysta Olson	...	Mary D'Abro (as Chrysta Olsen)
Carl Paoli	...	Victim #1
Trent Broin	...	Victim #2

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, torture, pervasive terror, grisly images, language and some sexual material.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA | Russia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R | Ireland:18 | UK:18 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Australia:MA | Italy:VM14 | France:-16 | Hong Kong:III | South Korea:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Taiwan:R-12 (original rating) | Malaysia:(Banned) | Japan:R-18 | Finland:K-15 | Norway:18 | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (DVD rating) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Peru:18

Filming Locations:

Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Captivity Productions

Trivia:

The initial advertising campaign for Captivity featured a multi-paneled poster. The first panel was labeled "Abduction," featuring actress Elisha Cuthbert appearing petrified, her mouth covered by a black gloved hand. The second panel was labeled "Confinement" and showed Cuthbert behind a chain-link fence with a bloody thumb poking through. The third was labeled "Torture" and featured Cuthbert on her back, her face hidden within a white cast and red tubes going up her nose. The fourth panel was labeled "Termination" and featured what appeared to be a limp body hanging over a table. The poster was placed on several billboards across Los Angeles, causing a significant uproar and resulting in many complaints. Distributor Lionsgate -- who were not involved in the film's advertising campaign and claimed to know nothing of the poster in question before the posters were distributed -- and producer After Dark Films ultimately decided to remove the controversial poster from the advertising campaign and took the billboards down.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: (At 05:40) While on the telephone at the beginning a boom microphone is visible tracking along with Elisha Cuthbert's actions in the mirror behind her.

Quotes:

Gary: [refers to Jenn after she couldn't get the shotgun to shoot, as he cocks the gun] You should've cocked it sweetheart.

Movie Connections:

References "Dexter" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Death Trap

Stunning visuals save a troubled script

What Captivity lacks in innovation it makes up for in style. Say what you will about plot holes and struggling performances, but the film looks beautiful, sounds great, and the atmosphere of the film will stay with you. Elisha Cuthbert's character is shallow, but appropriately so, as a naive fashion model who, even while in the deepest pit of misfortune, doesn't quite grasp what's going on. She keeps close to her teddy bear, apologizes for no apparent reason, and cries single tears... never ceasing to look picture perfect. (This is one gripe I have with the film. The leading lady should show a little more wear and tear, in my opinion.) I understand that the writer of Captivity claims to have based the character on Paris Hilton, and while I don't entirely believe that that's what the film was aiming for, it's an interesting comparison. In light of Hilton's recent incarceration, it's also a bit of commentary, however unintentional, on our culture's fascination with celebrities, the desire to be close to them, and to possess a piece of them.

The looming, black gloved torturer is a smidge cliché, but it does the trick. It's a genre film, and certain symbols are to be expected and forgiven. Again, the set and sound design are spot-on, and that carries a lot of weaker areas through to the end.

The editing is very choppy, due in part to the fact that a large portion of the original movie was removed and replaced with new material shot long after the original version ended production. The result is a cut-and-paste appearance which actually works quite well, given all the time Cuthbert's character spends going in and out of consciousness. It's almost an art film effect, hypnotic and disorienting.