Better Late Then Never

Best movie ever!

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

This movie was available on Xfinity on-demand, which is an app on my HD kindle. It is a good example of the "Extreme Horror" genre which has developed over the past 10 years since the first "Saw" movie.As so many have mentioned, the plot is nothing new: a stunning model gets kidnapped, put in a dungeon and subject to unimaginable horrors. Yet the lighting, cinematography and editing combine to thrust "Captivity" a notch above the typical movie trying to cash in on the Extreme Horror bandwagon. The musical score also helps ratchet up the tension and stays out of the way as it should.Some of the scenes and shots are truly horrifying, which impressed me since I have a mini-hobby of seeking out well-done shocker movies and it takes a lot to get my heart racing. There's one truly gory scene and it's more psychological than physical, which was clever.Other reviewers have mentioned that the star Elisha Cuthbert looked too "good" during the torturous ordeal: all her hair in place and nicely done, good makeup and on and on. So? She was definitely cast as eye candy and pleasing on the eye to male audience members who sympathize and root for her. Would it have helped to gunk her up a little for a more gritty, grisly effect? No, this is not that kind of movie and the producers knew it.So is she just a screaming, naive blond? No. Through a clever series of twists and turns at the end she not only shows some smarts but some kick-ass qualities as well. The movie ends satisfyingly and all in all is worthwhile for any horror or thriller movie fan.

The so called ' torture porn' genre isn't really my thing but if a film is well done, it's well done ie SAW and to a much lesser extent Hostel. Straight from the off however it was clear that this was film wasn't going to be falling anywhere near the well done bracket. The film boasts no back story, poor acting and a weak and feeble 'plot'. If you enjoy seeing people being tortured then I suppose there are a couple of scenes you may enjoy but for most part this is an incredibly repetitive and frankly boring film. A thoroughly nasty, worthless piece of film making put together by people relying solely on the hype of SAW to make a bit of cash. I see that this film was a box office flop and that tells you all you need to know about it.

"Captivity" is everything that is bad that exists within the horror genre, especially in these modern times. I'm a horror fan and so I know my onions when it comes to what makes a good horror film, and this is the perfect lesson in how not to make one. Get a couple of cheap actors, a lazy script that steals all the worst clichés, idiotic directing, poor lighting, preposterous editing, weird music and hideous special effects and you don't only have "Captivity", but a truly awful horror film."Captivity" borrows the bare basics from "Saw" and uses them in seriously unoriginal and unengaging ways. Sometimes it's a blatant rip-off with the model having to choose between shooting herself or her dog. However, unlike "Saw" which uses the traps for moral meaning, "Captivity" feels forced to use them in order to create some sort of sick excitement for people like Martin in "The Human Centipede II". However, even people like Martin are likely to be unimpressed with the terrible special effects used. At one point the blood is literally reminiscent of red paint as the model is forced to consume it.The torture scenes feel extremely forced and are incredibly hateful towards women. It's a misogynistic film and almost feels like we're supposed to be enjoying what's going on. The film tries to blurt some crap about vanity in order to provide substance, but it's obviously forced and meaningless. In fact, for the majority of the film very little seems to go on. It's incredibly dis-jointed with the model and the man being put through some mental torment and then being drugged with a fade to black and being woken up in another strange situation. It gets rather repetitive and dull.The so called 'twist' can also be seen coming a mile off, and I'm really bad at spotting twists! The whole film is really badly written with there being virtually zero characterisation given to our main heroine or the man, thus you don't particularly care if they live or die because the writer has decided not give them an ounce of likability. The villain is also a cliché as he bobbles about in a black cloak, obviously taken from "Saw" once again, and no explanation is given to why or how he's managing to do all this. Where would he be able to make all of these weird contraptions? The design of the whole place also doesn't make any sense what so ever. And it's not done in a meaningful clever way like "The Shining" it's just simply a bad location design. The first hour feels like a snuff film. It's not until the final twenty minutes that the plot actually tries to go somewhere, but by the time this happens you're already fed up and willing it to end. The finale is also something that's been done hundreds of times before, thus creating no suspense. The relationship between the model and the man also feels about as real as Luke and Ashley in Big Brother. I don't think sex would be the first thing on my mind if I was trapped in a basement and about to face imminent death.In short "Captivity" is an example of an incredibly lazy horror film. I don't award many 1/10's but I couldn't award this film any more as it has no redeemable qualities. It's a rip-off of "Saw" and countless other Saw-rip-offs, with atrocious directing and framing which is no surprise considering that the director used to direct episodes of "Coronation Street" in the 70's. We've had some excellent examples of modern horror recently with "The Cabin in the Woods" and "Inside" etc. But of course someone who knows eff all about horror will always come along and attempt to give what they think the audience wants. But we're not all sick psychopaths, some of us have brains and require more than a thinly plotted snuff movie.

Seeing someone's head being smashed with a hammer at the beginning of this movie I was really hoping to see some brutal and full of blood scenes. Unfortunately or fortunately (depends who is reading) there was barely a little of them. Tortures are rather psychological than physical and basically this is what this movie is about. All I can tell is that this movie was not like any other movie about kidnapped people. For the first time the captured victim wasn't crying, shouting and screaming. She was calm and even had sex when being closed in a cell with stranger. A bit naive, I think.I recommend this movie to all fans of "Saw", in particular the first installments but don't expect too much blood. Fans of Elisha should be also satisfied. In overall the movie is mediocre. You can watch it if you have nothing better to do at the moment. If you have expectations, you will be disappointed.