Captive – review

Director: Gregg Simon

Release date: 2023

Contains spoilers

Captive appeared on Tubi and is a fairly competent but simple film, which perhaps could have done with some character expansion and certainly could have done with less cgi blood splatter (given some practical blood effects, the obviously cgi blood is annoying to say the least). It did have a nice distinction towards the end between vampires and strigoï – the latter explained as superior vampires.

massacre on the news

It starts with news reports of a mansion massacre but then jumps back to 3-days earlier. A jogger (Kevin Chambers) pauses on his night time run. He sees a sinister looking hooded character, who then vanishes. Then he’s got by someone/thing fast moving. The opening credits then have a view of figures dripping with blood.

Crystal and Ashley

So the film proper starts with Crystal (Tasie Lawrence) and Ashley (Scout Taylor-Compton, Pearblossom). They are going to meet their friends, though Ashley seems unimpressed with her relationship with boyfriend Luke (Michael Lovato). For her part Crystal has a soft spot for Teddy (Timothy Chivalette). Also there is Ed (Ryan Stajmiger). When they discuss what they are going to do for the weekend, Luke has a plan.

Timothy Chivalette as Teddy

He is aware of a mansion where the owners go away for the weekend for the same three days every year (how he knows this is never explored). His idea, break in and party there for the weekend – though Ashley is forbidden from inviting her sister Mallory (Christina Robinson). Why this seems like a good idea is also not really explored but Luke and Teddy watch the owners leave and the gang break in. Its not long before they hear a noise in the house.

Cody Frank as Drake

Heading down into the basement they find a man chained up (behind a circle of, what looks like, salt). He begs to be released but the gang mostly are not so sure. It is Ashley who comes to his rescue. They discover that he is called Drake (Cody Frank) and he gives his story as being a drifter/hitchhiker who was picked up by a couple who turned out to be religious fanatics who chained him up (to convert him, though later when the paraphernalia in the room is seen there is a thought that they may have been vampire hunters). Luke wants him gone but again Ashley intervenes and says he should at least stay until the morning.

turning

A public domain quick look at Night of the Living Dead, which Luke and Ashley watch, and then we get Luke being an ass, Ashley getting prissy and them sleeping separately. She can’t rest and, wandering around, finds Drake and they go for a walk. Kissing ensues followed by biting and he turns her. She then kills Teddy. The following day she is struggling with the sun and wears dark glasses (everyone assumes hangover), she has a reflection (but Drake says it will fade) and she is bitchy to Crystal until she leaves (to try and get her friend out of harms way). This leaves two victims… so she texts their location to Mallory who pitches up with a full party in tow – chaos ensues.

fangs

As I mentioned, this is very simple in format and the characters are pretty 2-dimensional. Probably the best drawn is Ashley but even she is flimsy. As for the new party goers, well they are just fodder. However, it does have a charm and Scout Taylor-Compton does her best with very little. There is a minor twist at the end but it is far from earth-shattering. Nevertheless, I was entertained enough and there were some great soundtrack choices. 5.5 out of 10 shows that it is competent enough but not so much that it’ll change the world or even the genre.

The imdb page is here.