Captive (2015)
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| Picture by http://entertainment-factor.blogspot.com |
Director: Jerry Jameson
Writers: Brian Bird, and Reinhard Denke, the book, "Unlikely Angel," by Ashley Smith, & Stacy Mattingly.
Cast: Kate Mara (Ashley Smith), David Oyelowo (Brian Nichols), Mimi Rogers (Aunt Kim), Michael Kenneth Williams (Lt. John Chestnut), Elle Graham (Paige), Claudia Church (Melissa), Diva Tyler (Deputy Cynthia Hall), E. Roger Mitchell (Sgt. Teasley), and Richard Fullerton as Judge Rowland Barnes.
Opening Rant: The film i chose to review this week is a smaller film, it managed to get the message across like all faith based films. Unlike most, this one's message is altered through many images of disturbing scenes. Yes, the point of those scenes are important to the overall story, which you need in a movie like this one. There is so much i could rant about in this film, and in this review i'll bring up some points, not all, but points that make sense, meaning. The ability to understand the plot, all the story is not only pertinent, but a key piece to the puzzle. Faith based messages are important, it may bother some people, but not me. The main reason to this is simple, because the message these films have is good, some folks don'y like it because it disrupts their lives, or their purpose. Meaning some messages are an insult to their intelligence. Like watching a full blown sex scene in a film, it's part of the story, well they could've faded to black, use the imagination, point over.
Hollywood spreads its message every day, with it's films, and everyone is silent, the mass audience, and the people that watch them give the mainstream film base their money, and without knowing what they're supporting. I review violent, funny, horror, all kinds of films, but what stands out in most of them is the political agenda, and especially the pro-marijuana push. You see it in their films, when they want to push whatever it is, they will, and it's very noticeable. Do i want my kid to watch, support these types of films, no absolutely not. The only real way to protest, is to just simply stop watching the movie. Just like the new Jason Bourne film; Matt Damon a few months back made a statement about guns to the Australian newspaper, about guns in America. Mr. Damon is very anti-gun, so is he entitled to his opinion, yes. Can i disagree with him, you betcha! I can also boycott his film, which i did, i refused to review, or watch it. That's my right as an American, and a Concealed-Carry card holder.
My right to bear arms is important, and if boycotting, and spreading a positive message out there reaches people, then so be it. That's the problem with Hollywood, they think the message is positive, but the reality isn't as simple as you might think. Another example is the James Cameron's Avatar film. Why? did he have to stick his political view in the film, instead of making it pure, he used a political agenda, and created a story out of it. The greedy rich guy stealing the resources of a planet, not all rich guys are evil, or why would they even donate to a cause. The unbalanced story was successful because some people are like drones, they follow when told what to do, they hate, feel, when given the word to feel. These movies are made just to pick up the quick buck. How else do you explain re-hashed films; Same plot, except the title, and actors. A corrupt, evil military that had to kill the civilization on the planet, which in the beginning they were trying to learn from. I could write all day on this issue, but as i review more films, i also see the unbalanced issues with the stories, plot lines that are out there. The re-hashed films that stink in the box office, the political agenda, drug use, and other things that are established in all of their films. Look i'm not perfect, by far, but this is getting out of hand. Hollywood needs to stop pushing their agendas and just make the movie. I really don't care what they think anyway, but as a citizen of this great country, i could refuse to watch their ridicules films. I review, say what i want because that's my opinion, don't like it, then don't read it.
Review: The film is about a single mother struggling with addiction, in the beginning of the movie we get a introduction to all of the characters. Ashley Smith (Kate Mara), her daughter, Paige (Elle Graham). The AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting, everyone tells their story, each must recognize the problems, and release the problems to the support group. Ashley tells the group about her addiction, she also tells them that if she doesn't change, she will lose her daughter Paige. She struggles with every word, but the group listens as she continues.
Deputy Cynthia Hall (Diva Tyler) walks Brian Nichols (David Oyelowo) to his cell, a suit hangs, he must change before the hearing. Suddenly, the Deputy reaches to secure him, but Brian turns and knocks her down, the blow was strong enough to kill her. He grabs her gun, and radio, continues to move to different locations inside the jail, he opens, and closes doors, the next door he manages to open was the courtroom where the judge was presiding over his trial, he pulled his gun and killed him. Kills a reporter, runs out of the room, and escapes outside. Brian Nichols (David Oyelowo) was on trial for rape, an act he never committed, at least to him he never committed. Later he killed a man in the construction home, and two Federal agents. he had stolen a truck that eventually would arrive at Ashley Smith's house. The true story of two people from the same path, one bent on causing destruction, the other wanting destruction, by the use of drugs, which by doing so reduces her chance at ever mothering her child. The truths will come out, one struggling with addiction, the other bent on destroying everything in his path.
The film moves along. not slow; It really it's not that type of film. You got the FBI and the police officers looking for Nichols, a manhunt that would eventually lead to his surrender. The Deputy scene in the very beginning of the film is really good. The dangers of watching a criminal get a way with murder, literally is kinda scary. I liked the way it developed as a film, not the acts inside the courtroom, and the jail. The realism in the film was really good, the way Brian killed escaping the officers chasing him was shot to perfection. the way it progressed was amazing, it went so fast in the courtroom, to the escape in the parking garage. He was smart, but not smart enough to stop the large manhunt. The FBI actors, were very real, they displayed professionalism that a real FBI agent would have, it's just my observations in the film. The story was good enough to take to another level, it wasn't boring or slow, it was tense.
Faith in films, to me is really good thing, it opens up a positive side, it also can open up a can of worms. A good example of this would be God's Not Dead 2. The whole teacher using faith, Jesus in a public school system, or teaching about faith would not only fire the teacher, put him or her on suspension. Granted even if she was asked a question about God, she should've answered differently. That's the reality of it, ones opinion is valued, but not in the school system, there are to many factors in play. What happens if another faith is in your class, other than the mainstream religions like Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal. Those kids who aren't of the same faith will be uncomfortable. The teachers job is to teach, but not about religion or politics, it may work on film but in real life, the teacher would never touch those subjects; Unless they're Liberal mainstream issues. A double stranded situation, but it's far more real than what the film God's not Dead 2 delivered. That is the main problem and issue with Hollywood, even the faith based movies are doing it, instead of just telling the story, they try to deliver a message, and sometimes it get's mixed up, and the true message is almost always misinterpreted.
The realm of reason, reality is downplayed, just to get a message out, no matter how the message is produced on film. In Captive, Ashley only thought of her daughter, she did not bring God, or Jesus into the picture until she began to read the book that was given to her in AA. Brian then listened because it struck a nerve, he had shot, killed people, and the only place of peace he had was Ashley's home. That is the way God works, he doesn't pop out and heal thousands, he did back in the day, but as for miracles today, those things are very little, and when they do happen, it's a beautiful thing. Brian was going to kill her, but Ashley was strong enough to overcome. The true example of love, peace, not because of the message, but the situations that got Brian to that point of no return, that dark place, demons that took his soul. Ashley's home was almost like heaven, he found peace, a place to think. To him that was his reality, she could've yelled out some bible verses, but would that make any sense, nope, because that wasn't the movie, or true event.
Captive is one of those films that bring up faith, just out of situational purposes. Brian had mentioned to Ashley that his father was a drunk, after he had gone to church. The reality part happened to come out. Basically the reason for faith is out of convenience, not because of the return of the Lord, according to Brian. He was hurt by those biblical words because of what he had experienced as a young boy. That's what i loved about this film, it wasn't about Brian at all, only Ashley. He in a way saved her. She was able to stop herself from snorting the ICE (Crystal methamphetamine), which is the main reason for her losing her child. Unable to stop using drugs was her down side, and she wasn't going to lose her child again. Her strength and heart was the strongest part of the film, she in a way helped Brian as well. He somehow got the message, responded to it by him letting her go, she on the other hand gave him the options, even after a gun was jammed in the back of her head. She gave Brian a chance, so yes they both in a way, helped each other with their personal demons, and that is how God works. He helps those who are lost, the guy or girl that you'd never think he could reach.
On March 11, 2005 in the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, Georgia; Brian Nichols escaped, he had shot and killed a Judge residing over his trial, a court reporter, a sheriff's deputy, and two federal agents. The man who did the unthinkable had gone to a home, that story, a true event that begins with courage, love, and understanding. Two people from different paths, collide, and find that sometimes the only way to get out of a dangerous situation is to listen, understand the dark path, and maybe some light can begin to soak up the darkness. Brian Nichols was charged on 54 crimes, afterwards he was found guilty on all counts on November 7, 2008. He could've killed, but did not, instead he heard her as she continued to read from the book, it was a message of hope, but yet those words will save, even if evil stands before you.
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