After a very brief theatrical run, "TRAPPED" has made it to dvd. Charlize Theron stars in this thriller about a wealthy, attractive, young couple, seeming to have everything in life going just right. That is, until three kidnappers invade their lives. After kidnapping their daughter, the couple only has 24 hours to meet their demands, or....!

Children in danger makes for a hard sell at the movies. Hitchcock was able to pull it off, but director Luis Mandoki is no Hitchcock. Still, "TRAPPED" has more than a few well-conceived scares, and in spite of numerous plot-holes, manages to entertain. One of the things going for it is the fact that the loving husband/father has a dark secret to bare, adding more suspense to the film, akin to the suspense added to Ron Howard's "RANSOM," with the audience knowing Gibson had his own dark secret.

The pacing is tight, and it helps compensate for some of the otherwise glaring flaws. Things move too fast for the viewer to realize or care that somethings aren't realistic. This holds true, that is, until the film's poorly conceived climax. It's really "anti"-climatic!

The cast is fine, but it's Kevin Bacon who steals the film as the psychotic leader of the kidnappers.

COLUMBIA TRISTAR has preserved the film's 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 16:9 enhancement. Colors are rich throughout, and there's great depth to almost every scene, complimenting the wonderful locations. Unfortunately, there is some excessive grain in a few spots. Fleshtones appear natural throughout. Contrast is generally impressive, with deep blacks and grays.


COLUMBIA TRISTAR has presented a DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 mix. While restrained, in terms of surround usage, there are numerous directional effects for the front soundstage. Also, the film's score is wonderful, and emanates through all speakers. Not an overly aggressive mix, but an effective one all the same!


COLUMBIA TRISTAR has added a fair amount of extras for this release!

Director Mandoki and screenwriter Greg Iles provide running commentaries. The separate commentaries provide insight into both directing and writing. Iles adapted the screenplay from his own novel, so fans of either will appreciate his take on the writing process. Mandoki gives a great deal of information relating to the film's production, setup of shots, and much more. Both commentaries are highly educational for aspiring filmmakers and writers. But, both, are also dry. Neither of them are too engaging.

A featurette, "TRAPPED IN TIME," offers plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews.

Our favorite, "DELETED SCENES," offers five deleted scenes and an alternate ending.

These scenes are actually entertaining, and greatly develop one of the characters, somewhat overlooked in the final film. The alternate ending is less impressive than the faulty one used.

The quality of these scenes is noticeably inferior to the rest of the film, even with 16:9 enhancement.

There are also several trailers, with 16:9 enhancement.