New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Kim Hollis: Abduction, a misguided attempt to let Taylor Lautner act, opened to $11.2 million. Is this a good enough result for Lionsgate? Also, how long a career can Lautner have if he continues his current characteristics of phenomenal body but no discernible acting talent?

Edwin Davies: Given the moderate budget of $35 million, this isn't the worse case scenario that it could have been, especially if the film manages to attract a similar audience overseas. The upside to being third fiddle in a huge franchise is that enough people know Lautner's name that, at least in the short term, they will turn out to see anything he's in because of association. I don't think that will last very long at all, though, and I do wonder how much of this result is just a misguided expression of pent up excitement leading up to the release of Breaking Dawn: Part One. Once that series has run its course, I get the feeling that Lautner will be left far behind whilst his two co-stars - who, despite all evidence to the contrary in the Twilight films, can act - head on to solid careers of their own. If Lautner doesn't learn to emote soon, he'll be struggling to land jobs in the sort of Direct-to-DVD schlock that Steven Seagal would find demeaning.

Bruce Hall: As we all know by now, I'm a big believer in the supposition that making your money back excuses almost any crime in the wonderful world of cinema. That said, Abs-Duction shouldn't end up costing anyone their job in the long run. But a word of advice for Lautner - this Baby Vampire thing is about to peter out, son. And the whole being young and looking like a puppy thing only gets you so far in Hollywood. After that, people are going to start expecting things from you (just ask Denise Richards). So unless someone reboots Starship Troopers or Sarah McLaughlin needs a sidekick for those animal abuse spots, I have a hard time envisioning career longevity for everyone's second favorite Teen-Wolf.

I guess there's always the convention circuit. He and Walter Koenig can sit at the bar together and bitch about what might have been.

Brett Beach: Lautner has bragging rights for a larger opening than Remember Me or The Runaways (or Welcome to the Riley's), as long as no one brings up the Water for Elephants in the room. This is a so-so opening (one million for each member of his 12 pack?) that probably did as well as the powers that be expected. I was at least a little surprised at the near universal outpouring of ridicule for the film (not even any so bad it's entertaining positive comments). As for career, well, he lucked his way into one franchise, anything is possible.

More than anything, I hate seeing a strong supporting cast in this sort of project. And this is where John Singleton is at on the 20th anniversary of Boyz N the Hood, six years on from his last film Four Brothers? Go rent Rosewood instead.

Continued:       1       2