Abducted Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Abducted Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 18, 2025

Exploitation cinema should offer a little screen energy. After all, this kind of entertainment usually deals with dangerous situations and general human ugliness, giving filmmakers opportunities to deliver at least some form of excitement to keep viewers interested. 1986’s “Abducted” (loosely inspired by a true story) initially appears to follow the norm in B-movie distractions, pitting a helpless victim against her kidnapper in the middle of nowhere, creating opportunities for visceral interactions to occur. Writer/director Boon Collins weirdly walks away from such potential in the endeavor, preferring to craft a more talkative and travelogue-y take on the central crisis, which really isn’t a crisis at all. “Abducted” has a charged title and gets right to the point after five minutes of screentime, only to end up a bizarrely inert study of relationships and nature, as Collins has no imagination for active horror and desperation.

Renee (Roberta Weiss) is taking a long run in the deep forest, only to slowly recognize that she may not be as alone as she initially believes. Out of the woods comes Vern (Lawrence King-Phillips), a loner who lives in nature, and he’s interested in taking Renee as his next victim. Preparing his prize for a long journey back to his log cabin home, Vern works to keep Renee in line with threats, making escape difficult for her. He craves sexual assault, preparing to take what he wants from the young woman, and Renee keeps talking, trying to distract Vern as much as possible. Interrupting the journey is Joe (Dan Haggerty), Vern’s concerned father, who thwarts most violence, making a promise to help Renee find her way home that she’s unsure he’s willing to keep.

Renee is taken by Vern five minutes into “Abducted.” It’s a quick introduction to the woman’s nightmare, as her innocent day of running in the woods becomes an ordeal, soon fitted for a rope collar and dragged behind the villain, who’s eager to bring her back to his home. Vern is armed and mostly silent at first, setting the feature up for tense encounters between the characters, as Renee makes the occasional escape attempt. It’s a simple recipe for cheap thrills, but Collins doesn’t have the drive to create a nail-biting viewing experience, preferring to get lost in a limp psychological game as the victim tries to talk her way out of captivity. “Abducted” detours into conversations, watching an uneasy and abusive relationship form between Vern and Renee as they travel across the madman’s “backyard.” A perverted sense of trust begins to form, but physical challenges are few and far between, slowing the feature to a full stop at times.

Sexual violence eventually arrives at the 45-minute-mark, meant to intensify Vern’s threat. And Joe eventually joins the story, adding parental issues to the mix. However, Collins doesn’t take advantage of potential dramatic escalations, soon turning “Abducted” into a study of nature as Joe offers a tour of his world to Renee. Some violent activity arrives when trophy hunters find their way into the area, but it takes an hour to reach this level of alarm, which is a long wait for little payoff.

Abducted Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio, also offered in 1.33:1 "VHS framing") presentation for "Abducted" is listed as "newly scanned and restored in 2K from the 35mm blow-up internegative by Canadian International Pictures." There's a film-like viewing experience for fans of the feature, as grain is very heavy but decently resolved. Detail reaches about as far as possible, exploring the rugged appearances of the characters and the textures of nature. Exteriors maintain depth, exploring the outside world, and few interiors retain dimension. Color is accurate, offering distinct pinks, whites, and lavenders on Renee's jogging suit. Greenery is defined, along with blue skies and woodsy browns. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in good condition.

Abducted Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD mix offers a simple listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are clear, with sharp performances remaining intelligible while periodically fighting elements of nature. Scoring cues are appreciable, with crisp instrumentation and dramatic emphasis. Sound effects are satisfactory.

Abducted Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (14 pages) features an essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and a comic by Rick Trembles.

• Commentary features film historian Amanda Reyes and author J.A. Kerswell.

• Intro (1:14, HD) provides a video conference welcome to the "Abducted" Blu-ray experience, with writer/director Boon Collins reinforcing how the production team "poured their hearts" into the making of the feature, often battling dangerous conditions to do so.

• "Abducted Memories" (24:02, HD) is a video conference interview with writer/director Boon Collins, who found some early success in his screenplay for "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker," returning to Canada to explore low-budget moviemaking using more action-oriented elements. A true crime story inspired "Abducted," and casting stories are shared, as Collins describes Dan Haggerty as a "piece of work," hoping to attract commitment after the actor's drug issues. A motorcycle injury threatened Haggerty's participation, requiring some doubling to pull off the performance, as the star couldn't walk. Praise for Roberta Weiss is also shared, going into her professionalism and preference for distance from others. Production anecdotes are shared, exploring location shooting and Haggerty's immobility, and stunt efforts are noted, examining the sometimes crazy physical demands of the shoot. Post-production achievements are identified, along with a title change (previously known as "Stone Sheep"). Critical and viewer response is recalled, and the interviewee briefly discusses "Abducted II: The Reunion."

• "Beyond 'Abducted'" (11:32, HD) is a second video conference interview with writer/director Boon Collins, who details the growth of his career, starting off with the short film "Kettle of Fish." The interviewee explores his efforts to develop in the Canadian film industry, finally breaking through with 1981's "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker." Collins also explores the making of 1991's "The Spirit of the Eagle," 1995's "Abducted II: The Reunion," 1998's "The Protector," 2000's "Escape to Grizzly Mountain," and 2005's "Sleepover Nightmare."

• "Shooting 'Abducted'" (12:42, HD) is a video conference interview with cinematographer Robert McLachlan, who was pumped to work on a movie, charging through the three-week shoot, paid little for his effort. Locations are recalled, finding McLachlan handling the workload alongside a tiny crew, endeavoring to secure a "natural" look for the feature. The collaboration with writer/director Boon Collins is assessed, and casting is highlighted, trying to schedule around Haggerty's legal issues and leg injury. Professional challenges are analyzed, as McLachlan finally cleared industry acceptance after his achievements on 2000's "Final Destination."

• "Truth Crimes" (17:50, HD) is a video essay from Stephen Broomer.

• "Excerpt from 'Abducted II: The Reunion'" (10:23, SD) provides a brief overview of the sequel's look and tone.

• "Excerpt from 'Kettle of Fish'" (4:48, SD) shares part of a short film from director Boon Collins.

• And a Trailer (1:37, HD) is included, with optional commentary from writer/director Boon Collins.

Abducted Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Abducted" is low-budget and limited when it comes to performances and technical achievements. It does provide an extended look at Canadian wilderness, which has immense appeal, but with a title as charged as "Abducted," and a premise that's rooted in torment, there's extraordinarily little here that qualifies as thrilling.