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CS Weekly Archive> DVD > 11/09/07
Solitary Confinement Would Be Preferable
by jason davis
Captivity (Unrated)
Screenplay by Larry Cohen and Joseph Tura
Story by Larry Cohen
 
 
Mixing elements of an insightful psychological thriller with the grotesque banalities of torture porn, Captivity rates neither as gory thriller nor as a pretentious slasher film. The screenplay, which sees supermodel Jennifer Tree (Elisha Cuthbert) captured, incarcerated, and made to face all the fears she's spoken of in media interviews, seems to have started life as an exploration of one's psychology during the titular state. Her only avenue for emotional support is the prisoner (Daniel Gillies) in the cell next door, but their burgeoning relationship is continually interrupted by disgusting interludes seemingly designed solely to induce nausea in the viewer. Lacking the ingenuity of Saw's cunning torture mechanisms, Captivity seems to take its inspiration from reality television shows like Fear Factor, and the observer is left to wonder if a possibly compelling thriller was re-tooled to take advantage of the success of films like Hostel. Whatever the case, the film fails in either aspiration, and the making-of featurette with two-time Academy Award-nominated director Roland Joffé (The Mission) suggests that he's completely unaware of the asinine denouement adorning the cut of the film presented here.
Captivity (Unrated)
Lionsgate Home Video
Unrated; 85 min.
$28.98
Buy it now
Jason Davis has been the DVD Manager for CS Weekly , a contributing editor for Creative Screenwriting Magazine, and has written for Cinescape.com, MSN.com, and created the TV series Studio 13, which ran on Lorne Michaels' Burly TV network. He lives in the small space left over by his ever-expanding library of books, movies, and music.
Captivity (Unrated) courtesy Lionsgate Home Video
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