A single mother working as a waitress in a New Orleans-area diner, Karla Dyson (Halle Berry) is devoted to her 6-year-old son Frankie (Sage Correa). While at a nearby amusement park, Karla takes an important phone call from her attorney—apparently, her ex-husband is suing for sole custody—and when she looks up, Frankie's gone. She spies a woman shoving Frankie into a teal-colored Mustang GT. Running after the kidnapper, distraught Karla climbs into her red Chrysler minivan and takes off in pursuit. “As long as my son is in that car, I will not stop,” she vows. “Wherever you go, I will be right behind you.” Karla recklessly weaves in and out of traffic on Louisiana's highways and back roads, leaving not only wrecked cars in her wake but also critically-injured bystanders, including a motorcycle policeman. When she stops at a local sheriff's office, the desk officer tells her to wait. Looking at a bulletin board filled with photos of missing children, Karla realizes she hasn't a moment to spare and darts back to her battered vehicle. Eventually, Karla will discover that the abductors (Chris McGinn, Lew Temple) are a crazy, confrontational backwoods couple who are operating a child trafficking ring. Working from Knate Lee's pulpy, often logic-defying script, director Luis Prieto amps up the frenetic suspense, as Karla vows, “You messed with the wrong mother!” Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “A Look Inside” behind-the-scenes featurette (3 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a so-so thriller.] (S. Granger)
Kidnap
Universal, 82 min., R, DVD: $29.98, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $34.98, Oct. 31 Volume 32, Issue 6
Kidnap
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