Captive (1986) User Reviews

Or, The Stockholm Syndrome Goes to France

[JohnSeal · 5/10 · 15 February 2008]

A surprisingly svelte Oliver Reed stars in this bizarro, artsy thriller from cinema renaissance man Paul Mayersberg. Reed plays Gregory La Vey (any relation to Anton?), the moneyed father of poor little rich girl Rowena (Irina Brook, who is easy to look at but not so easy to believe as an actress). When Rowena wanders out onto the palatial grounds of her estate one misty moisty night, she's kidnapped by three villains who appear to be dressed for the village panto or university rag week. The threesome then subject Rowena to a series of 'ego-stripping' exercises, including sensory deprivation, exposure to white noise, and waterboarding. Forget the panto--this lot should be working for George Bush's Department of Justice! Pretty soon she does a Patty Hearst and starts taking naked baths with her captors. There are echoes here of the over-egged grandiosity of Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, which Mayersberg wrote for director Nagisa Oshima, including a morose Sinead O'Connor song in place of David Sylvian's Forbidden Colours, and a lot of operatic interludes. Captive lacks the powerhouse performances that made Mr. Lawrence a success, but it's still a unique, fascinating and occasionally disquieting viewing experience. There's also enough good photographic work here from DoP Mike Southon (Paperhouse, Ken Russell's Gothic) to justify a DVD release at some point.

Slow and boring "spoilers"

[lthseldy1 · 4/10 · 11 January 2002]

I didn't get this movie, even after the end. This movie is about a lady that lives with her rich father and hates him because of the way he treats her and the fact that he doesn't understand her. She then is kidnapped by two lovers and a Japanese man that listen in on her conversations and look through her window. Why they kidnapped her I have no idea except for the fact that her father is rich. She is tortured and soon becomes brainwashed into believeing the fact that her father does not care if she is missing even after viewing news coverage about him looking for her and offering a reward for her return. As time passes, the lady cares less and less of her chances of returning home and desides to stay and live with the kidnappers and falls in love with the Japanese man. they teach her how to rob banks and kill. This part becomes corney to the sight of seeing her from being rich to robbing banks. Eventually the police come looking for them and she is then caught and put into prison for two years. Her father tries to frre her and takes her back home but she still does not love him. I will not reviel the ending but it leaves you with a "oh, thats it". sence of feeling. This movie is boring, dull and slow.

Arty goings on in mid 80's Europe

[Red-Barracuda · 4/10 · 10 September 2021]

This is an example of the types of European thrillers which popped up in the mid 80's, films which mixed high and low brow culture together, i.e. A crime story with opera music featuring actors in chic clothing posing in abandoned warehouses. Its like a poor man's Luc Besson, with overwrought dialogue and a bunch of actors from a Calvin Klein commercial. In it, Oliver Reed's daughter is kidnapped by a group of terrible actors for reasons that remain unclear. The Stockholm Syndrome kicks in and a bunch of other stuff happens. Reed phones in his performance but at least he had one to dial in, unlike everyone else who no doubt immediately after this returned to appearances in Ralph Lauren adverts for fancy baggy jumpers.

Ridiculous

[chinaskee · 1/10 · 6 September 2001]

Basically,this is a variation on the Patty Hearst story set in England.It even opens with a shot of a castle where the rich girl lives with her rich father.After around 20 minutes,the rich girl gets kidnapped by three bizarros in strange costumes,and is subjected to all kinds of mental and sexual torture in order to brainwash her.There's also an operatic score to liven things up.In my opinion,this is one of the stupidest movies Oliver Reed ever made.

soundtrack comment

[missingchicagomarshall · 18 December 2005]

This film is a moderately chilling suspense film. It is also an apt illustration of the psychology behind kidnapping and yet the thing that sticks out for me still to this day is the haunting soundtrack.This was provided by U2's Dave Evans ( The Edge) and a brief appearance on one track by yet unknown in the states Sinead O'Conner. Very nice work by Evans at complimenting the various mood swings of a psychological thriller.The filmmaker takes time to carefully light this film and the music follows as a synchronized back-drop. In true minimalist fashion Evans accompanies moments of poignancy with stripped, warm guitar tones and builds tension with true late 80's keyboard and tribal drum infusion.U2 was still freshly blazing their trail across the American consciousness and this side-bar by the Edge was intriguingly welcomed by close fans. Much like Tangerine Dream's colorful sound-scape for Risky Business and the Chicago Loop's El trains, this soundtrack seems in touch with the over-all mood of the piece and not to personally connected to character. This is as it should be. The movie musical may devote a theme song to every character but the score, the sonic back-drop, should simply over- and under-shadow the flow of moments. The musician who scores a film has this concern, even to the point of deciding when not to include music at all. This soundtrack is available and worth revisiting.

for DiD'ers only

[nivek_nailgun · 16 March 2003]

A lot of people hated this movie but I guarantee it's got a fanbase out there, here's why: It's made for the Damsels in Distress fans. Those who are into bdsm and the like. For most of the movie it's got the kidnapee tied up and the abuse is related to various sexual themes. For fans of that genre only.