scottiejarrett7

Many good reviews, comparing this to great films with complex plots. Nobody mentioned "The Sting," a movie that for sure stung me. So did "Slow Burn." I enjoyed aspects that some reviewers complained about - the involved flashbacks, LL Cool J's describing smells for people and places, the clever and often amusing dialogue throughout. And of course, the twisted plot. For me, not too complicated to follow and be happily stung. The characters are intriguing, capable of creating empathy and suspension of disbelief. Ray Liotta is at his serious, intense best. Jolene Blalock is utterly beautiful, with slick sexy acting chops too. (Check out the online musical tribute to her - breathtaking photos.) "Slow Burn" is an excellent up and down ride of a film. My advice - watch it and form your own opinion.

There are many good reviews here, even the ones that didn't appreciate the film as much as I did. I remember the true-life abduction of Adam Walsh. His tragedy changed his father's life completely and forever empowered the search for missing and murdered children, that Adam's death be not in vain. In "Stolen," the bitter sorrow and self-recrimination of the fathers, whose sons disappeared in a few moments of inattention, was the film's true focus. Unraveling the mystery of the killer's identity, well done in my opinion, was interesting, but secondary. The film's greatest strength was the search for some kind of emotional absolution for the devastated fathers. Minor flaws, which other reviewers have accurately noted, need not deter anyone from watching this truly powerful and intimately human drama.

The film's faults are clear in other reviews. Slow-to-no-action pacing with major plot-points left unexplained. Why didn't they start with the legend of Stull, Kansas? Surely one of the kids would have done what I'll have to do - Google the place to find out... With limited character development, piddling special effects, and few decent scares, the film squanders an interesting premise. There's one good aspect which led me to give it a kind 5 rating: Ethan Peck (Gregory Peck's grandson with grandpa's macho steely manner) and the two gals, Rebekah Brandes and Jennifer Stone - 28, 29, and 21 at filming thus pseudo-teens - are attractive young folk. Let's wish them better luck in their future flicks.