Reckless

Unless one counts the faint DNA resemblance to the classic Dutch suspense tale The Vanishing, filmmaker Joram Lürsen's three-character thriller is a near subplot-by-subplot remake of the 2009 U.K. reductionist suspense film The Disappearance of Alice Creed. During the wordless opening, kidnappers Victor (Tygo Gernandt) and Rico (Marwan Kenzari) carefully prepare, don their masks, and then abduct off the street young real-estate heiress Laura (Sarah Chronis), planning on a multimillion dollar ransom payment from her estranged father and a quick getaway. Unknown to Victor (and unrecognized by the victim), Rico is Laura's lover. When she eventually grabs his gun and has him at her mercy, Rico tells the furious girlfriend that he set up the scheme in secret so that he and Laura could flee together with the loot, cutting Victor out of the spoils. But is he telling the truth? And does Laura have ideas of her own? Shifting allegiances and sexual betrayal between the treacherous trio ensue. Unfortunately, much of the yarn is shot in shadowy murk that does not so much convey film noir as the need for a good light bulb. While not as good as Alice Creed, this should still be considered a strong optional purchase. (C. Cassady)