AllMovie

Cheng Kang's offbeat, uneven take on the crime genre isn't for all tastes, but it is amongst the most unique films in the Shaw Brothers library, both in terms of content and style. The first three-quarters of the film is a powerful, compelling ransom story that mixes a documentary-style level of detail with an unusual visual approach. Kang really applies a high level of cinematic imagination to his direction, incorporating unusual jump-cut edits, handheld camera work, and all manner of optical effects to give the film an intense, visceral style. Unfortunately, he also includes a lengthy third act that piles on so many melodramatic plot twists that it becomes surreal and excessive. This final act often feels like it walked in from a different movie and will probably ruin things for a lot of viewers. That said, the performances remain compelling throughout Kidnap: Lo Lieh is believably bitter as the frustrated leader of the gang and familiar Shaw Brothers character actors Tang Lin and Fan Mei Sheng clearly enjoy getting to play the rich, dramatic roles they receive here as the criminal accomplices. Ultimately, Kidnap is a flawed but memorable effort that will probably find favor with adventurous Shaw Brothers fans.