Customer Reviews:

• Could have been much better
  Yep, a good acting and a story begining well until you lose the plot and finally understand the illusion things easily. Then the end that messes up the whole plot with an unroginal twist if we can still call that "A twist". A pity! They could have made a very scary movie out from this....more info
• Abandon this movie!!!
  Not only is Abandon poorly written, but boring as well.
  Without Katie Holmes, "Abandon" would have been like "Hardvard Man" without Sarah Michelle Gellar, a long, boring Bore-Fest!
  Well, anyway, "Abandon" is about a success-driven college student Katie (played by Holmes(who else?!) And Katie's Boy firend Embry(??) has been missing for two years. And the the Dective(Bratt) and he is invetigating his disappearance. So, thats about it. There are also some jumper[scenes] in the movie.
  When the end finally came I was so glad. Not only because the movie I wasted $$$... and about two hours of my life was over, but also because the end was a shocker! So all in all , to be frank,
  this movie STUNK mayjorly!!
  P.S. I only gave this movie a star, because I couldn't leave without one. Otherwise, I would give this stinker a big fat ZERO!
  ZILCH! NADA!...more info
• eh...........
  I never, ever thought I'd say it...but Katie Holmes on screen about 98% of the time just didn't do enough to make this movie worth it. Decent premise, I suppose. Boyfriend missing, recovering alcoholic cop on the verge of a relapse. It just doesn't add up, and there's a supposed "twist" at the end can be guessed as soon as you learn the premise. Coulda been better....more info
• Much more than you may think...
  I remember when I went and saw this for the first time and everyone I was with thought it was terrible. I remember being in shock because I thought it was quite good. Granted, at the time of its release I was in love with Katie Holmes and thought she could do no wrong. Now, years later I decided to watch this again to see if it holds up now that my fascination with Holmes has diminished due to her insanely strange new outlook on life. Well, it does. I don't know what to say to all these people who find this film horrendous. I actually really like it. It works, it's solid and it impresses me to this day. Sure, it's not perfect, but it's so much better than many make it out to be.
  
  The film revolves around Katie Burke, a young college student who is haunted by the memory of her ex-boyfriend Embry. Embry has been out of her life for two years now, just up and disappearing, but suddenly he seems to be returning. This begins to take its toll on Katie when Wade, a police detective battling his own demons, begins investigating Embry's disappearance. Katie is struggling to complete her thesis and land a good job but the sudden reappearance of Embry is throwing a wrench in everything. As her relationship with Wade begins to flourish her own demons come to the surface and soon we realize that Katie is not who we think she is and that Embry's reappearance may have more meaning than we could ever imagine.
  
  `Abandon' plays out like a B-movie, but a very good one at that. It's not as polished as most Hollywood fare; it's gritty and dark, and I think this does the film a huge service (thought I was gonna say `disservice' didn't you). `Abandon' is at moments chilling and this is thanks in large part to Holmes performance. Katie has always had potential but it wasn't until just before she went cuckoo for Tom Cruise that she actually began to tap into it. Her performances in this film as well as 2003's `Pieces of April' are among her finest to date. It's a shame she has thrown it all away.
  
  The rest of the cast does a fine job as well. Benjamin Bratt does his best to stand out but doesn't fare so well. His scenes are smothered with Katie's commanding presence. Zooey Daschanel is funny and witty as Katie's friend Samantha and the beautiful Gabriel Union delivers as Amanda (although I really wish she had more screen time). Melanie Lynskey manages to make me remember her (as she always does) but it's Charlie Hunnam who really grabbed my attention. As the mysterious Embry he really gets under the skin and makes a lasting impression.
  
  Stephen Gaghan's script is tightly woven and, while not exactly mind blowing and or original it manages to strike fresh blood; creeping us out as well as making us think. `Abandon' is surely misunderstood and underappreciated. Don't let the negative press keep you away from this one....more info
• Watchable
  This movie is not quite as bad as some reviewers make it out to be. It is entertaining and the end, for me, was surprising. The title is abandon and that's how you should watch this movie - suspend reality and enjoy. I would describe it as a thriller with a twist. Not bad....more info
• forgetaboutit
  The talent and beauty of its stars can't save "Abandon" from being a muddled mess of a film. This was the directorial debut of writer Stephen Gahagan, who won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "Traffic," and it is a psychological thriller about a college student under a lot of stress (Katie Holmes), and the disappearance of her ex-boyfriend (Charlie Hunnam) being investigated by a cop (Benjamin Bratt). There are numerous flashbacks that blend into the present and start to get a little jumbled, and Bratt tries to figure out who is who and what is real or imagined, as he finds himself falling in love with Holmes.
  Clint Mansell's score tries to heighten the tension with some eerie/spooky sounds, but instead the music becomes repetitious and annoying, and the end result of this film is that the intentions by all were good, but none of the pieces fit together to make a cohesive whole.
  
  Benjamin Bratt is a magnificent specimen of the human species, and Katie Holmes has a lithe grace and an appealing vulnerability that make these two fine actors a pleasure to watch, and one hopes they both have a future full of great scripts and success.
  If it is on the small screen, Bratt and Holmes make this film well worth watching, but it is too contrived (and in many instances silly) a plot, even for a rental.
  Others in the cast include Zooey Deschanel as Samantha, Fred Ward as Lt. Stayton, Melanie Lynskey as Julie, and Gabriel Mann as Harrison. Total running time is 99 minutes.
  ...more info
• if the dress fits this lovely lovely lady
  This is one of Katie's best. She played fantastic roles in The Gift and Wonderboys. I look forward to watching her role in Batman Begins. If you enjoyed Swimfan, you will enjoy Abandon.
  
  Dear Ms Holmes, I look forward to you playing characters that have emotions and expression, cuz I believe thats the kind of roleplayer you are, so please stay away from the shallow characters in the future eventhough they might look good on the outside. ...more info
• The Movie Is Awful
  I fell asleep while watching this horrible movie. Benjamin Bratt is horrible in this movie. I hated his character. The movie could have been a lot better but it ends up being pointless and stupid....more info
• McGill Alumni pay close attention...
  The movie itself is pretty bad, but as a McGill graduate, I was pleasantly surprised when I was flipping channels and happenned upon scenes of Leacock, Upper Rez, Douglas Hall, the Royal Vic Hospital, and even the football field that our proud Redmen share with the Montreal Alouettes. Definitely worth checking out......more info
• Poor attempt at a mystery
  I was disappointed at the end of this movie...disappointed I wasted 91 minutes of my life! I did give the films two stars: one for Benjamin Bratt and one for the cinematography that effectively brought out the dark atmosphere/overtone of the film. Aside from that, there in nothing else worth much in the film. The storyline is very predictable and the acting wasn't too hot.

  Rent this if you love Benjamin Bratt or are in the mood for "Mulholland Drive" type movie......more info

• why all the negativity?
  I dont get it! I thought this was a BRILLIANT film! very well written acted, and directed! Katie Holmes finally chose a smart, sophistaced project and RAN with it! this film i think is some of her best acting work! It was a smart thriller! I must be stupid, because i didnt see the ending coming AT ALL! i was pleasantly shocked and surprised at the twist! top notch performances from everyone around. i think everything, particularly the romance between katie and wade, was very well paced! it came at a believable point in the film, not rushed! It was smart and witty all around! Charlie Hunam was the perfect combination of charming, and ass. Zooey Deschannel was a hysterical roomate! so perfect!
  
  kudos all around to a great film!...more info
• Better off as a one hour TV Episode
  Detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) is the sad-sack protagonist of
  'Abandon' (which should have been more aptly named 'Abandoned').
  Handler has just returned to his assignment on the police force after
  being suspended (presumably) for a DWI or drinking on the job.
  Handler's supervisor won't allow him to use a squad car and wants to
  break him in slowly so he assigns Handler to a missing person's case.
  What's so unusual about this case is that the missing person in
  question, Embry Larkin, an artsy but rebellious college student,
  disappeared two years ago. It seems unlikely that a detective (even one
  who is returning after a suspension) would be assigned to a missing
  person's case (especially one that is two years old) since typically
  missing person's cases are not considered priority matters for a police
  investigation.
  
  Nonetheless, Handler focuses his attention on Embry's last girlfriend
  at the college, Katie Burke (played by Katie Holmes). Katie at first
  appears to be a bright Ph.D. student who's about to finish her
  dissertation and apply for a high-powered corporate job at a successful
  consulting firm. After awhile, Katie starts believing that she's been
  seeing Embry pop up around campus. The film's scenarist, Stephen Gaghan
  (of Syriana fame), intentionally keeps you in the dark until the film's
  end as to whether these Embry sightings are merely figments of Katie's
  imagination or actual appearances by the former boyfriend.
  
  The story unfortunately drags on much too long with Katie's fleeting
  glimpses of Embry. Nothing much happens in terms of the plot until
  another one of Katie's long-term suitors, Harrison Hobart, disappears.
  Katie's confrontations with Embry become more aggressive as she accuses
  him of having a hand in Harrison's disappearance. Katie is becoming
  more unhinged and starts seeing a shrink to cope with the disturbing
  confrontations she's been having with Embry.
  
  Meanwhile, the clueless detective Handler has not been acting like a
  very good detective. Instead of being suspicious of all possible
  suspects (including Katie), he seems to accept everything she tells him
  at face value. As it turns out, Handler has been attending AA meetings
  and soon decides that police work is not for him so he hands in his
  badge. But just as he has resigned, he receives some important news
  from a crime lab buddy who informs him that a note Katie claimed she
  had recently received from Embry was actually two years old.
  
  Before the film's climax, Harrison pops up at the college graduation
  and the audience learns that his disappearance had nothing to do with
  foul play on Embry's part (Harrison simply lost his way while hiking in
  a State Park). Fortunately for him, he already decided to walk away
  from Katie. But former detective Handler is not so lucky. He already
  had an intimate moment with the psycho college co-ed. Now that it's
  finally dawned on him that Katie has been imagining all these
  encounters with Embry, he tells her that he doesn't want to go away
  with her as they previously had planned.
  
  Abandon's conclusion takes place in an abandoned building near campus.
  In a flashback we now see what actually happened: Embry got sick of
  Katie and told her that he was planning to leave her so she knocked him
  over the head with a cement block and he falls into a pool of water,
  dead. The same fate awaits former Detective Handler: we see him
  floating dead with a bashed head in the grimy pool of water along with
  Embry's two year old skeleton.
  
  Abandon has some excellent cinematography, capable acting and a
  brooding score resulting in a nice, overall 'noirish' feel. But the
  story does not develop organically. It was designed primarily to
  showcase its 'twist ending'. Ultimately why should we really care about
  Katie, the film's antagonist? Does she really stand out as a unique
  'femme fatale'? Not really. Sure there are a few good scenes suggesting
  that she's good at manipulating people (the job interview for example)
  but there are way too many of those clich¨¦d childhood flashbacks
  suggesting parental abuse as well the aforementioned multiple 'Embry'
  sightings which slow the story down considerably. The same goes for
  Detective Handler, the protagonist, who never seems to be able to put
  two and two together. It's hard to like a protagonist who is so passive
  and pathetic.
  
  After watching Abandon for the first time, I was forced to go back and
  watch it again just to try and refresh my memory as to the important
  plot points. So many of the scenes simply are not memorable; they tend
  to blend into one another. Abandon's story feels more like an hour-long
  TV episode stretched out to fulfill the requirements of a feature film.
  Had it been done on TV, it would have been much more effective....more info
• Abandon? Abandon this movie
  I have to say that the movie really turned me down. Just a katie is a preety girl, and nothing more...
  That's even NOT a thriller movie... boring scenario.....more info
• I wouldn't .......
  I wouldn't give it much time. [...]. This movie was stretched into an hour and a half of what could have been covered in a 10 minute short story. And not even a good short story at that. Anybody who didn't see this ending coming needs to get some shock therapy treatments.

  This movie gets 1 star because Holmes and Bratt's acting was enough for 2, but the Heath Ledger wannabe ex-boyfriend was just plain bad. Why would anybody want to be Heath Ledger anyway?

  Bottem line - just skip it and save your money....more info

• amazing
  I know this didn't get great reviews from a lot of other people, but I really was entertained by it! It is a very unique movie that doesn't try to copy movies of the past to create a fanbase. To me it doesn't matter how good it did at the box office, I think it was very poorly advertised. When I saw the trailers I really had no clue about the movie, and the actual movie was much different than what the trailers portrayed. This isn't a scary movie at all but it is very suspenseful and makes you think. As you're watching you get all these predictions about what might be going on and then in the end you are totally shocked by the outcome. Honestly it is one of my favorites because it isn't a jumpy graphic horror by any means, it makes you think. So, you should definetly at least rent this....give it a try....more info
• Not enough story to warrant a feature film
  First off, starting with the positives - 'Abandon,' on DVD contains an above average video transfer and a superb, well mixed Dolby 5.1 audio track. The score is moody and foreboding without being too over the top as well. The disc extras are somewhat light with your typical 'making of' featurette and 8 or so deleted scenes that are instantly forgettable.

  On the downside the storyline borders on meager. As a psychological crime thriller this film would've been better suited as a 22 minute episode of 'Alfred Hitchcok Presents' rather then the 98 minute feature it was stretched out to be. Couple this with the overall lackluster performances and you're left with a flick you could well do without unless you find yourself nursing a hangover one morning with nothing better to do....more info

• ABANDON has no spice
  I'm not sure how to explain this movie.

  I actually think that Katie Holmes gives a very solid performance. A troubled girl who holds many mysteries inside her head. She plays it well. I think even proves that she's a very good actress, if given a better surrounding.

  It's the things around her that are so bland, that you never really care. The story has no build. It has no muscle. The characters around her are flat and non-dimensional. Benjamin Bratt's character, and no fault of his own, is undeveloped. The story is even more non-dimensional. The suspense is so flat, that you never get involved.

  It could have been a good movie... if you can manage to sit through the monotone delivery that plagues the movie throughout, it actually has a decent payoff in the end....more info

• Thoroughy enjoyed
  This is a good movie. Granted it is not the greatest psychological thriller that I have seen, it is not bad at all. Katie Holmes gives an incredible performance as well as Charlie Hunnam and Benjamin Bratt. The cinematography is well-done and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The movie is not as predictable as others make it out to be. In fact it is not bad at all. "Abandon" may not win any awards or be the best movie ever made, but it is unique and well-done....more info
• Not Everyone Should Abandon..Abandon isn't worth anything!
  Pros: Good cinematography, competent acting, script, ending, plot twist, smart, Katie, Zooey, the music, underlying intelligence, Strong performances by all involved and some very exotic directing, Hot guy, Oh My God! Chris Hunnam is gorgeous!

  Cons: The ending is expected and many characters/plot points convoluted, slow, tame, Only Katie Holmes, the detective, and the old boyfriend seem rooted in the story, No Plot, Really not that easy to get it into.

  Summary: Abandon is a poor excuse for someone who is trying to make a movie scary. The story line tries so hard to be scary with dark scenes and mystery but it just doesn't cut it. It does although have a few good twists and a little humor that makes Abandon slightly bearable. I found dissatisfying about this movie was Katie's character. I found that Katie Holmes is a good actress but no person can act well when their character is severely undeveloped. Katie seemed not to have any deep thoughts through out the whole movie. She seemed to rely on everyone else to do her dirty work for her. The main thing I didn't like about Abandon was the fact that it had many scenes that were trying to be dark and mysterious. However there were so many that it just wasn't scary anymore. As well, Embry was rather dark and mysterious himself so you really only expect that he would like dark places. All in all I didn't like this movie. The characters were undeveloped as well as the plot and it just wasn't scary even if it was trying to be. I encourage you not to spend your money on it and not to get abandon to this movie....more info

• A GOOD SMALL PICTURE
  Previous reviews have provided an outline of the film and a variety of opinions. My only comment is that if one takes this film without expectations based on previous work of the production staff or featured players, it will provide entertainment sufficient for the hour and a half or so which watching it consumes. Whatever may be the pretentions which the creators may or may not have possessed, it is a small film, itself unpretentious, and well within the parameters of the genre of small films (often called "B" pictures in the 30's and 40's, more often "made for TV" pictures thereafter)which so often have proved to be sources of pleasure with no deeper meaning for which to probe (or to be disturbed by). What you see is what there is; not, perhaps, Hamlet ( a mystery as you will recall, but a diversion from the heavier things in life. The performers did what there was to do while script and director kept things moving with only a moderate degree of unnecessary repetition of the main story points....more info
• Abandoned sense of direction
  You know when you watch a movie half-way through and you get the general idea of what the movie was about, but you're not quite sure of all the details of the plot? That's the same feeling I got when I watched Abandon all the way through. The movie had a sense of direction equal to that of a chicken with its head cut off. The plot just kind of staggered around, didn't really go anywhere. There are points in the film where you can tell that suspense is trying to be created, but there isn't any real ground here to build suspense. You feel like you should be expecting something riveting to happen, but you're not sure what, and nothing really happens. Overall, there's some okay points in the film involving character development and preformance, but that's not enough to save this mostly uninteresting and inconclusive movie....more info
• not as awful as some
  I basically agree with reviewers who thought that this movie had some interesting moments, but was basically predictable. We have grown very accustomed to the kind of "surprise" in this "surprise" ending. The acting was good, but the flashbacks were dull and excessive, as was the continual device of trying to induce a feeling of "scary" just by turning out all of the lights....more info
• Looking at this to see Charlie Hunnam?
  In the director's commentary, (director, screenwriter) Gaghan and (cinematographer) Libatique spend A LOT of time talking about the lighting and tones and colors... Don't be fooled. It's Mr. Hunnam's presence that lights up the screen here. He has a tendency to do this in everything he's in and I rented this purely to see him. I'm sure I won't be the last person to do so. He is mesmerizing.
  
  It's a real shame his character (Embry, the missing boyfriend) couldn't be the main focus of this one (and that he wasn't discussed more on the commentary track or interviewed longer on the Making Of featurette). It would have been a more compelling film and I would have given it another star or two, I'm sure. It's definitely worth renting though to see him, if that's what you're after.
  
  It's a good film overall though I think perhaps skipping any sort of explanation of why the villain was the villain might have served it better, as the one given was a bit lame (or "undeveloped", as reviewers say). I don't find Katie Holmes or Benjamin Bratt compelling enough to rent or buy a movie just to see either of them, but I wouldn't say they are bad actors either. The supporting cast is solidly quirky with Zooey Deschanel as a bit of a scene stealer, as usual. Any flaws are down to the screenwriter really.
  
  That said, I didn't fast forward just to get to Charlie Hunnam's scenes. I think in this case, considering he was my only motivation for watching in the first place, that's actually a positive review. Enjoy....more info
• Spare Me
  I hated this weak film.
  
  First of all, I will never understand why the American public adores Katie Holmes so. Her performance in this movie is just another one of her lack-luster portrayals of "the smart girl". Benjamin Bratt needs to have a serious talk with his agent about this one.
  
  The plot starts out interestingly enough -- artistic rich college boys goes missing and Det. Handler (Bratt) is assigned to re-examine the case two years later. He begins interviewing the boy's ex-girlfriend (Holmes) for clues to his disappearance. But everything from that point on is filled with ridiculous conversations, one-dimensional characters, predictable turns, and an unoriginal "please, I figured that out over an hour ago" ending.
  
  The screenwriter attempts to make the situation interesting so that you will bear with his slow tempo (Charlie Hunnam is wasted as the unbelievable Embry Larkin). Unfortunately, there is no saving this film from its piecemeal examination of a banal female protagonist....more info
• A TEASE!
  The movie is weak. The character of Katie Holmes is monotonous and boring. The real interesting character is EMBRY. I absolutely fell in love with him. He is probably the most complex character in the movie, yet about 4 or 5 scenes are dedicated to him. If only his role was expanded, the movie could have been a psychological anomoly. Being a psychology major, I would give anything to study a character like that. He is truly an enigma--possessing the qualities of a genius, while being magnetically arrogant and and charmingly egoistic. He is an anti-hero, being a basher of conformity and the masses. He gets what he wants. This was evident in about 2 scenes in the movie. The 2 scenes that depicted his enigmatic personality were a tease, for the rest of the film was rubbish, portraying his character as nothing more than a jealous boyfriend. A movie should be made on this character ALONE. I suggest you watch the first 30 minutes of it and spend the rest contemplating the depth of Embry's psyche....more info
• I should have abandoned this movie
  This movie is so slow. I was spacing out while watching it. The characters are so two dimentional. Katie Holmes is a beautiful actress but she cant act. The real saver of this movie is Zooey Deschanel whose beauty and outgoing character is the only good point....more info
• What is this...
  This isn't scary at all. The plot was easily figured out, and I saw the "surprise ending" from a mile away. This isn't horror this is junk, I highly recommend not seeing this or Swimfan, because both lack 1.)ORIGINALITY and 2.) PLOT! So skip this and see something else....more info
• Abandon DVD
  What an excellent movie! The picture and sound quality are great. Katie Holmes and Benjamin Bratt were incredible. You do have to really pay attention to what is going on or you will get lost in the storyline. My daughter and I watch it often....more info
• Abandon This
  Oh no! There is this college guy who has been missing for two years! And now the police are investigating it! Benjamin Bratt is the cop! Katie Holmes is the missing guy's girlfriend! And a guy who looks a lot like the Naked Chef is the missing guy himself! Is he dead? Or did he just leave for unknown reasons?

  Who cares? From the writer who brought us award-winning "Traffic" comes this flop of a film that is neither suspenseful nor very interesting. My very first question at the beginning of the film was, why are the cops just getting around to investigating this kid's disappearance? I mean, two years is an awful long time not to look for someone. This question was never really answered, but I'm okay with that. What I'm not okay with is the fact that I wasted money on the rental, and an hour and a half of my time. Katie Holmes is a good actress, don't get me wrong, but she can rarely find a decent movie role (the few exceptions are "Wonder Boys" and "The Gift"). This movie here proves it. She plays Katie, a hard-working college student who seems to attract guys like flies. A couple of years ago she attracted Embry, a really talented guy, but kinda jerky. Then one day he goes missing, and no one really knows why. Enter Benjamin Bratt as the detective in search of answers. He and Katie get pretty close during his investigation, especially after Katie tells him that Embry is back in town and is stalking her. Hmm. Sounds exciting, right? Well, not really. The film ends with a twist - one that would have been really good had I not figured it out half-way through the movie.

  The DVD is not that much better than the film itself. It's got a couple of deleted scenes with director commentary, but they are nothing special. If you watch the trailer for the film, you'll notice a lot of clips are nowhere in the film, or in the deleted scenes. You will also notice, as I did when I first saw this trailer months ago in the theater, that the trailer practically gives everything away. So all in all, this DVD is not that great a deal. One of the few things that I somewhat liked about the film was Zooey Deschanel, who played one of Katie's friends. I adored her in "The Good Girl", and she is the only interesting one in the whole film - and she's barely in it at all. So if you're looking for something good to watch, please do what I wish I had done: abandon this one and get something else instead....more info

• Tries too hard. . .
  Katie is under pressure. She faces the stress of college and answering incessent questions about her boyfriend Embry's mysterious disapperance. Wade Handler questions the confused Katie and also starts to become attracted to her. As Wade's investigation nears an end, he learns strange facts about the disapperence.

  This film did not even make sense in the first 3 seconds. I was confused throughout and bored out of my mind. Katie Holmes does the best you can do with a bad script and bad storyline. Benjamin Bratt, who also gives a good performance as the investigator who examines the disappperence, was not in the film enough and deserved more scenes. The director, Stephen Gaghan, overworked the script (which he wrote) and get lost in his own directing. The plot tries so many twists but they never fully turn.

  Its probably one of the worst thrillers I have ever seen because there is not one thrilling second in this film. Rent if you like the actors, but for no other reason. Too bad, I thought this looked good....more info