 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Abduction
- Review Date: September 23, 2011
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Underwhelming action thriller has deaths, violence.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this action thriller stars Twilight hunk Taylor Lautner and rising star Lily Collins, so it's sure to attract teens. But there's a fair bit of violence, language, and intrigue that might make it too mature for tween members of Team Jacob. The more intense sequences include several character deaths, execution-style shootings, sniper kills, and a couple of brutal beatings, one of which results in a man being chucked out of a speeding train. Even the teen girl is terrorized and beaten. (All of that said, there's not a lot of blood here.) Swearing includes "s--t," "ass," and one "f--k"); sexuality is mostly flirting, hand holding, and slow dancing -- plus one heated make-out session between teens. An early scene shows teens drinking, including the main character, who gets very drunk.
What's the story?
Nathan (Taylor Lautner) is a high school wrestling champ with attentive, affectionate parents and a few close friends. After he's paired up in class with his neighbor, the crush-worthy Karen (Lily Collins), the two start researching a sociology project about missing children ... only to discover a photo of a boy who looks a lot like Nathan. Curious about the uncanny similarities, Nathan contacts the website's chatline, which is actually maintained by a nefarious foreign baddie. Before Nathan can fully confront his mom (Maria Bello) and dad (Jason Isaacs), hit men strike the house, sending Nathan and Karen on the run. Reeling with grief and confusion, Nathan and Karen are advised by his therapist, Dr. Bennett (Sigourney Weaver), not to trust the CIA and are left on their own to evade both government and international operatives trying to track them down.
Is it any good?
As Twilight heartthrob Jacob, Lautner's intensity makes him downright irresistible -- especially if you're only paying attention to his shirtless scenes. But the truth is that as adorable as Lautner may be -- and as gifted with the physicality necessary for an action career -- he lacks the acting range to carry a movie's emotional center. The scenes of Nathan crying are painful to watch, because you can tell how difficult they were for Lautner. And the screenplay doesn't do him any favors; it has him speaking and acting in a completely unbelievable manner for a guy who's just lost his parents. Collins is cute enough, but aside from one admittedly steamy kissing scene, the two don't conjure any heat.
The best part of this John Singleton production is the sheer number of excellent actors who pop up as supporting players. In addition to Bello and Isaacs -- who have more chemistry in a couple of scenes than Collins and Lautner in the entire film -- there's Weaver, Swedish star Michael Nyqvist (of the original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Alfred Molina, who plays a squirrelly CIA agent in charge of the mission to rescue Nathan. It makes perfect sense that Singleton recruited a cast of acclaimed actors to bolster Lautner's leading-man debut, but sadly he's not up to the task yet. If anything, he should find an ensemble where he lends support to actors like his co-stars.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the amount of violence in the film. Is it cartoonish and unbelievable or realistic and disturbing? How does that affect its impact?
What are some other movies that feature the "hidden identity" theme? Why do audiences respond to orphaned characters? Name some other famous pop-culture orphans.
How does the movie portray teen drinking? Does it have realistic consequences?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
a MUST see for teens and parents- especially Lautner Lovers!
i LOVED this movie!!!!!
The only scene that I would be concerned about letting younger kids see is the main kissing scene.
Nathan and Karen start out just with light kisses, put it turns into them smacking up against the wall as nathan takes off his jacket and he grabs her butt. Then he picks her up and straddles her. She ends up sitting on his lap, still straddled, and he kisses her neck while they both moan a little. common sense doesn't mention that all above.
Also, the violence is pretty bad at some times.
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Kid, 11 years old
September 24, 2011
AGE
Luv it!
i saw this movie an hour ago it was awesome perfect movie just what i thought it would be awesomly awesome
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AGE
It's a mix between violence, innuendo and action
High school kids who look for ardrenaline. Sometimes end up hurting themselves. There are some extreme stunts in this film. Also, girls wouldn't be interested if there wasn't 'the Twilight hunk' Taylor Lautner in it. If it was Matt Damon, Gary Oldman ect., the girls will want to pass. There is that evil duo of sex and violence in this movie. But they manage to keep it pretty clean. There's some innuendo and kissing, but nothing beyond that. The violence does get extreme and may be overwhelming at times.
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Kid, 12 years old
September 24, 2011
AGE
good move good to see Lautner in the lead
over all good movie but there is a disturbing scean on the train
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AGE
Was it worth it?
it was ok you can see it at an age that you have heard language. it was fun but not really worth it there was a part with drunks, passing out and a fight with his dad but it was just like a sparing thing really. There was blood only at the end and not much at it eather. all and all i see it as not worth it but my friends liked it (probably because Tayler Laghtern was in it) but it really depends on the kind of movies you like.
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Kid, 12 years old
October 4, 2011
AGE
great movie violence and lanuage a problem
its a good movie, for lautner lovers but has f#@k, S#!t, and D%$K. It also has lots of violence and a makeout session on the train.
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Kid, 12 years old
October 9, 2011
AGE
Good for 11 and up!!!
I thought it was pretty good. It's not too bad in violence. There is little if not no blood. The worse violence is deaths. There is one bomb scene.
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AGE
Lived up to my expectations
When I went to see this with my friends we thought it was just going to be another dumb teenage-based Taylor Lautner movie. And we were totally right. But for once it was a good thing! I enjoyed it beginning to end and not just because it involves a shirtless boy riding a motorcycle. I think the casting was appropriate for the age range the film was trying to appeal to. Some of the acting wasn't very convincing but this made it a little bit more mild so that younger viewers wouldn't be too frightened. There is violence but nothing gory so not a concern in my opinion. The other concerns are typical teen stuff- some drinking at a party, makeout scene, etc., both of which appear that they may turn into something more but are cut off beforehand and not implied. Overall very good great friday night movie to see with your friends.
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AGE
BEST MOVIE EVER
IT WAS SO AWESOME. But it isn't a good idea to bring your children to this movie. There was a scene on the train where they almost 'did it' and there was a lot of kissing. Too much violence and swearing. BUT IT WAS STILL SO AWESOME.
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| Studio: | Lionsgate |
| Director: | John Singleton |
| Cast: | Lily Collins, Sigourney Weaver, Taylor Lautner |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 106 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 23, 2011 |
| DVD release date: | January 16, 2012 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sequences of intense violence and action, brief language, some sexual content and teen partying |
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