Great acting and a true story cannot compensate for a second-rate cinematic adaptation like director Jerry Jameson's "Captive," even with first-rate thesping from David Oyelowo, Kate Mara, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Mimi Rogers. Basically, this hostage drama is based on a true-life incident that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, back in 2005. Rape suspect Brian Nichols broke out of his cell in the Fulton County Courthouse and shot a judge, a court reporter, a sheriff's deputy, and later a Federal agent in a bid for freedom. After stealing three cars, he wound up at the Duluth, Georgia, apartment for Ashley Smith. Not long afterward, Atlanta Police surrounded the house and convinced the killer to surrender. Ashley Smith documented her experience entitled "Captive: The Untold Story of an Atlanta Hostage Hero." What could have been a genuinely exciting thriller amounts to a dreary potboiler with Christian author Rick Warren's devotional book "The Purpose Driven Life" serving as product placement. According to the hostage that Nichols holed up with, she read Warren's text to him and the message of "Captive" is that the killer saw the light and gave up to the authorities. Many well-intentioned Christian movies aimed at regular churchgoers boast low-budgets and borderline talent. Unlike those standard issue faith films, "Captive" contains first-rate acting with "Selma" star David Oyelowo cast as the killer with no qualms and "Fantastic Four" actress Kate Mara as Ashley Smith. Sadly, despite its workman-like screenplay by "Not Easily Broke" scenarist Brian Bird, "Captive" generates only a modicum of suspense. The charisma that Oyelowo and Mara bring to their respective roles has no counterpart with anything else here, except "Days of Grace" lenser Luis David Sansans' wobbly cinematography that lends an edgy quality to this lackluster outing. Nothing about this PG-13 rated, 97-minute melodrama is remotely captivating. Indeed, during the end credits, we catch a glimpse of the real-life Brian Nichols and are treated to a "Oprah" interview with Smith about her close encounter with death. Most of these Christian movies rake in millions, but "Captive" has struggled despite its laudable cast and earned back little more than its $2-million budget. For the record, Oyelowo served as one of the producers. Comparably, "Captive" and "No Good Deed" share some similarities, except "No Good Deeds" coined far greater cash. Presumably, "Captive" didn't have enough Christian values to bring in the flock. Spectators that appreciate strong acting may enjoy it simply because "Raise the Titanic" director Jerry Jameson doesn't rub our collective noses into scripture.
