Product Details

• Actors: Armand Assante, Brian Blessed, Michael Kitchen, Patrick Malahide, Brian McCardie
• Directors: Ivan Passer
• Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Allumination
• DVD Release Date: August 17, 2004
• Run Time: 180 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002V7T6K
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,844 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Studio: Peace Arch Home Entertain Release Date: 01/16/2007

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent interpretation, good family film, January 22, 2005

By 

Robert Pratte (charleston, il USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kidnapped (DVD)

I purchased this DVD in order to watch it with my kids (youngest is 10). They were initially unsure whether they would like it, but after mentioning that it was based on the Robert Louis Stevenson book, and that Mr. Stevenson had written Treasure Island and Jekyll and Hyde, the kids' interests were piqued. As the DVD is also rather long (in terms of current films), I was concerned whether their interest would hold. However,the movie kept their interest captive without any problem.

First of all, let me say that the scenes and scenery are great. One really gets a feel for the time and place of the story. Costumes, villages, landscapes, etc. are generally high quality. Moreover, the acting (including accents) were fine all around. I found the film engrossing, while my kids were very excited to find themselves so involved in the story. Of course they have seen a plethora of films that "transport" the viewer elsewhere, but many of these films have some feeling of artificiality - that is, they are too far out of our own experience to truly feel "real". I found, and I think that my kids found, the scenes in this DVD believable and approachable. Having experience in historical reenactment, I know that portraying a sense of another time and place in such a way as to encourage "viewers" to participate is a sort of magic and I felt that there was some of this magic in the movie.

As far as the story goes, there are issues that may be a bit complicated for younger viewers to understand. Additionally, there is some violence (particularly the ship scenes), but nothing too brutal. The worst scenes are the death of a few minor characters (gunshot and hanging), as well as a view of a pool of blood after a battle. This movie isn't for very young viewers, but I would guess that most kids over the age of 10 wouldn't have a problem with the film. The level of violence is really fairly minor in comparison to much of today's fare.

I have been describing the movie in terms of a family film, but I also think that it is a good companion to the book. Teachers, students, lovers of literature, etc. will likely find this a welcome addition to their collection.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie, OK DVD, September 23, 2004

By 

JimBob - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kidnapped (DVD)

The made-for-TV film is excellent. Its historical and story setting is enchanting. Set in Scotland, you will really get a feel for the time and culture, as well as beautiful views of the land. The story is engaging and stirring with wit and poise. There is intrigue, adventure, fighting, and romance. Acting is superb. Alan Breck Stewart (Armand Assante) and David Balfour (David Blessed) are a dynamic pair. Their juxtaposition showcases the classic opposites - a hot-headed Highlander and level-headed Lowlander - thrown together and united as common Scots. The direction and soundtrack were good. The music will have you humming and is well timed onscreen.

I had first watched this movie several years ago on VHS. I watched it many times. I have long waited for a DVD release. While I am glad that this is finally on DVD, I am somewhat disappointed. The video and sound are not remastered, so they are not up to par in quality. It is still in stereo. It could have at least been remixed to Dolby Surround. Special features are lacking. Commentaries, featurettes, and documentaries are lacking. For a movie that has such a rich historical background, this lacking is a sin. A redeeming feature that is not documented on the box or anywhere as far as I can see, is that the scenes have been integrated better and new footage has been added amounting to at least 10 minutes according to my estimates. When a TV-movie is released for home video, a scene would fade back into itself, denoting the in-between slot for commercials. In this DVD, this has been eliminated. The new integrated transitions are alright, though sometimes interrupted the short-term flow of the movie. As for the other new footage, they are nothing ground-breaking, but add a litte more content to the movie.

To sum things up. if faced with the choice, I would still give up the cash for this DVD anyday. The film is excellent.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Pretty Good Flick., September 23, 2005

By 

James B. Johnson (HUDSON, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kidnapped (DVD)

Other reviewers have provided all the details of the movie, so I'll spare you another reading of that information. The bottom-line is this is an interesting film that is even-handed with the historical facts of the time. The film doesnt explain what the Scottish conflict was about, but you can do some remedial reading afterwards to get up to speed. The acting is good. The scenery is excellent. And it is refreshing to see characters with rotten teeth and really bad hair!