SECUESTRO EXPRESS
DVD Review by David Blackwell
DETAILS: 87 minutes, deleted scenes, two audio commentaries, theatrical trailers, music video, and two featurettes
STUDIO: Miramax
RELEASE DATE: 1-3-2006
SECUESTRO EXPRESS does have a message, but the script doesn't hold up for a good 90 minutes. It's like they should have
worked on the script more after deciding to expand it from a 20 minute short to a feature film that they shot in Caracas,
Venezuela . It is intense at times and hard to watch, but other times it
feels like an exercise in boredom. The director is telling the story of what happens in Caracas everyday- the kidnapping of
people for quick ransom. Sometimes the kidnapped are returned and other times it ends in a bad way. Even the director was
kidnapped once. SECUESTRO EXPRESS follows the story of Carla (Mia Maestro) and her boyfriend as they are kidnapped by three
immoral thugs who want the money to buy drugs and others things. They see this as a way to strike back at the rich while so
many live in squalor.
VIDEO: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
The film is very grainy due to the fact SECUESTRO EXPRESS was shot on Digital Video. It gives it a weird feel. A gritty
realism at times. The transfer is OK, but it isn't something that is down and out impressive like SIN CITY.
AUDIO: Spanish Dolby Surround
Subtitles: English
SPECIAL FEATURES: The two deleted scenes don't add anything, but the two audio commentaries are interesting to listen to.
One commentary is with the director in English while track two is a Spanish language commentary track (with English subtitles)
with the director and cast. I found the director's commentary track to be much more interesting than the movie itself. Two
featurettes (one in English and the other is a long drawn one in Spanish with English subtitles). Rounding out the extras
are two trailers and a Spanish rap video by the director of the film.
FINAL ANALYSIS: SECUESTRO EXPRESS appeals to some viewers, but I have a feeling it would have been better if director Jonathan
Jakubowicz wrote a better script and spent less time on showing what the city looks like.
this article is (c)2-1-2006 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission (except for excerpts and a link
to the review). Look for additional content at http://www.livejournal.com/users/enterlinemedia and send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
