Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Kidnapped Blu-ray Movie Review

An adventure sure to entertain with a great performance from Michael Caine

Kidnapped is an entertaining old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure which features a standout performance from the brilliant method actor Michael Caine (The Dark Knight Trilogy). Produced by Frederick H. Brogger (The Monroes, Heidi), the film is sure to delight fans of classic adventure stories. Based upon the beloved novels written by acclaimed author Robert Louis Stevenson (both Kidnapped and David Balfour), there is plenty of action and excitement in this impressive production.

The story begins with the young gentleman, David (Lawrence Douglas), traveling to a wealthy estate in order to put a claim on his massive inheritance. The previous owner of the estate is threatened by this development and (per the title of the film) has David “kidnapped” in order to try and protect his high wealth. While traveling across the sea in a pirate ship, David stumbles across the prisoner Alan Breck (Michael Caine), who helps him to escape the confines of the creaky ship with a knife in hand. The odd pair meet the beautiful vixen Catriona (Vivien Heilbron) and head to land for a series of adventures and exploits that exceed any of their expectations.

Caine is (without a doubt) the reason why Kidnapped works as well as it does from start to end. There is something to be said about how the film carries itself both before-and-after Caine joins in on the old-fashioned adventure. The film has a bit of a slow start when it first begins and it feels slogged down by an unnecessary setup which does little to expand upon the story. Once Caine joins the ensemble cast, there’s something miraculous which happens to the film as Caine impresses with a first-rate performance which is demonstrative of both his natural star-power and undeniable charm.

Unlike some of his co-stars in Kidnapped, Caine seems to have decided to invest himself fully into his role. Much of this is no doubt due to his superb method acting skills. Whether a scene requires for his comedic timing and action-chops or has a moment of dramatic clarity, Caine consistently finds ways to keep the filmmaking significantly more engaging and rewarding than it would be without him in the equation. Sometimes it even feels as though Caine has no idea that he’s starring in an adventurous, throwback B-movie as instead of coasting by on the action scenes he instead delivers a first-rate performance which feels prime-suited for the Oscars.

A beautiful vista of Scotland

One surprising drawback to the film which sometimes drew me out of the experience was the altogether mundane costume designs by Olga Lehmann (The Scapegoat, Playgirl After Dark) . The feature feels low-budget from a costume design perspective and there was nary a moment where it didn’t make me feel as though the designer was utilizing limited resources to deliver stage-play level attire for the cast.

If there is any area in the filmmaking where Kidnapped could have been dramatically improved upon with a bigger budget in hand, it’s this aspect of the production. From the soldier attire with simplistic looking red-coats and cheap-looking golden buttons to the ragged-vests of the main ensemble cast, I was sometimes distracted by the low quality of these cheaply designed costumes. Audiences will simply have to suspend their own disbelief more than one does while watching modern CGI laden fantasies.

The cinematography by Paul Beeson (The Prince and the Pauper, In Search of the Castaways) is a beautiful sight to behold with natural scenery showcasing the outdoor landscapes from the filming. Production was carried out in Scotland and the outdoors scenery is outstanding. There are many high quality shots in the film where one can soak in the beautiful vistas. Accompanying the film's visual aesthetic is the enjoyable music score composed by Roy Budd (Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins).

The screenplay by Jack Pulman (Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die, The Best of Enemies) is one of the films weaker aspects as the story never feels truly satisfying from a storytelling perspective. There are some interesting ideas explored here and there (such as a sequence in which a flashback explores some turbulent events for Alan Breck) but it feels largely cookie-cutter and merely serviceable to the action. Ultimately, audiences won't mind much as the film has a breezy pace and a number of enjoyable set pieces.

Directed by Delbert Mann (Desire Under the Night, Middle of the Night), the filmmaker failed to produce a film on the same level as the exceptional performance delivered by Caine. Some of this might be due to the purported television-film original (although it ended up being released theatrically). The set designs are average and the costumes are uniformly disappointing (pun intended). A film is ordinarily only as good as it’s director can make it be and Kidnapped is a prime example of a film overcoming its average direction.

The early scenes feel messy and chaotic and I was almost certain the film would not improve course. If it were not for the star performance by Caine the film might have felt irredeemable. The director keeps the film entertaining with exciting action scenes sprinkled throughout the story but the filmmakers fail to muster the type of behind-the-scenes production necessary to make the film feel like a total knockout success. Luckily, the pacing and editing are strong. For viewers who can switch off their noggins for a few hours and simply enjoy in the action-adventure spectacle, Kidnapped is a modest entertainment which is strengthened by Caine’s enormous contributions.

Purely taken as an adventurous spectacle offering audiences a few hours of diversion, Kidnapped is an impressive and entertaining film which keeps one’s attention throughout. Fans of the genre will find much to appreciate with scenic backdrops of the mountainside adding something noteworthy to the journey. There is nary a moment in the film where swords and pistols don’t come into play and it is these exciting action beats which add significantly to the film’s sense of high-spirited adventure. Kidnapped is worth a watch for action-adventure fans.

Kidnapped Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kidnapped arrives on Blu-ray for the first time from Kino Lorber. Presented with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation. The film has received a brand new 2K restoration. The encode quality is strong throughout and preserves the film's visual aesthetic. The original 2.35:1 widescreen theatrical presentation is preserved. This is a clean and robust looking presentation. Though colors never quite leap off the screen, the image is clear from print damage or wear and does a good job of reproducing the film's cinematography. Color seems warm throughout. Filmed in 35 mm Panavision, Kidnapped has a generally strong new presentation.

The image has only minor specks of dirt on the print in a few scenes. The transfer pleases for the most part. However, colors on this presentation are somewhat drab looking and are not as impressive as one might hope for. Much of the color-saturation issue seems to be based upon the cinematographic style of the film and does not appear to be a fault of the video encode. Grain is well-preserved and the film has a naturally filmic image. Occasionally, the grain is a bit overbearing as it is sometimes overly abundant during some scenes. However, a healthy level of film grain is present on most of the transfer and this is certainly preferable to any digital tampering being done to the image. Detail is well preserved by the 2K scan.

Kidnapped Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The film receives a DTS-HD Master Audio mono presentation. The dual mono audio presentation receives a decent fidelity boost with lossless audio encoding. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand throughout. The track is quite clean sounding and doesn't suffer from egregious drawbacks like hissing. 

The score music sounds a bit flat and is less robust sounding than one would hope to find. It's apparent that there are some source limitations to the audio presentation which makes it merely average as a high-resolution audio track. The overall audio fidelity on this release is acceptable even if the track never quite reaches a state of sonic perfection. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Kidnapped Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Comically labeled as "The Brink's Job" on the disc menu in apparent error provides some unintentional comedy as a "pseudo" extra.

Kidnapped Trailer (SD, 2 min. 20 sec.)

No other extras other than some trailers for other Kino Lorber releases: Billion Dollar Brain (SD, 2 min. 44 sec.), The Black Windmill (SD, 2 min. 16 sec.), The Destructors (2 min, 51 sec.), The Wilby Conspiracy (SD, 2 min. 15 sec.), Blame It On Rio (HD, 2 min. 11 sec.), and The Holcroft Covenant (SD, 2 min. 49 sec.)

Kidnapped Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kidnapped is an entertaining adventure which largely succeeds on the shoulders of its star performance by Michael Caine. The film feels like a perfect Saturday-matinee trip which would be a fun diversion to experience with family or friends. Although the filmmaking feels uneven on the whole, viewers hoping for an enjoyable action romp will find Kidnapped to be a passable swashbuckling flick with enough gusto to keep things interesting until the end.

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino, Kidnapped has received a good presentation which is worth checking out. Unfortunately, the release lacks any meaningful supplemental features but the film presentation makes this a release which is worth a look for fans of the film and star Michael Caine. This release garners a light recommendation.