Abandon Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)October 16th, 2002
ABANDON
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
ABANDON is a sleep-inducing thriller with a single twist that everyone except the characters in it can see coming a mile away. Surprisingly, this slapdash piece of work is written and directed by TRAFFIC's writer, Stephen Gaghan. TRAFFIC had more on its mind in any one scene that ABANDON has in the entire movie.
The only thing good you can say about ABANDON is that it stars two good-looking actors, Katie Holmes (WONDER BOYS) and Benjamin Bratt ("Law and Order"). The script is filled with way too many parts, all underwritten. Tony Goldwyn, Zooey Deschanel, Gabrielle Union and Fred Ward are among the supporting cast that are wasted on the threadbare script.
Bratt plays Detective Wade Handler, a troubled cop who is thinking of quitting the force. He is investigating the mysterious disappearance two years ago of Embry Langan (Charlie Hunnam). Embry is, or was, a wealthy, artistic flake -- an insufferably pompous blend of Andy Warhol and Wolfgang Mozart. His ex-girlfriend, Catherine "Katie" Burke (Katie Holmes), clearly has something to hide about his disappearance. Soon after the detective starts snooping around, Katie, and only Katie, begins to see Embry again.
Among the many unbelievable scenes is the one in which Katie just shows up at the detective's apartment. Although she is his chief witness, he invites her to stay. And, oh well, you get the idea.
One guy in our audience yawned loudly in what should have been the tense final act. This generated some rolling laughter. I felt like applauding -- not for the movie, but for the yawner who so accurately expressed my opinion. ABANDON opens opposite a real thriller, THE RING. Hopefully, smart viewers will flock to the real McCoy and avoid the snoozer.
ABANDON runs 1:39. It is rated PG-13 for "drug and alcohol content, sexuality, some violence and language" and would be acceptable for most teenagers. I don't understand why the MPAA would give a PG-13 rating to a film that shows frequent and casual drug usage among college students. This film should have gotten an R.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 18, 2002. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters and the Century theaters.
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