The “Twilight” franchise made stars out of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. But is there life after vampires and werewolves?
The trio’s post-”Twilight” projects have ranged from commercial duds (“Remember Me,” “The Runaways”) to films which all but bypassed theaters (“Welcome to the Rileys”). The biggest film starring a “Twilight” alum remains “Water for Elephants,” but Pattinson’s period drama made a fraction of what an average “Twilight” film hauls in.
Now, it’s Lautner’s turn to flex more than just his impressive guns at the box office.
In “Abduction,” Lautner is entrusted with a wannabe franchise about a man who learns his life is a lie and must find out the truth about his identity.
I’ve gone on record saying Lautner is terrible in the “Twilight” films, all clenched jaws and numb gazes. He could be playing down to the material, or perhaps he needs a director who can draw out something we’ve yet to see from him. “Abduction” director John Singleton wisely surrounds Lautner with pros (Maria Bello, Alfred Molina, Sigourney Weaver), but that could end up making the young actor appear even worse by comparison.
“Abduction” should be the best evidence yet whether Lautner can act AND put fannies in the seats. His own studio doesn’t seem confident in its star, though. Lionsgate isn’t showing it to critics ahead of its Sept. 23 opening.
(Photo: Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins star in “Abduction,” the new Lionsgate film directed by John Singleton. Photo credit: Bruce Talamon)
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I can’t really comment on his acting ability as I have only seen him in one movie, but in the trailer when he tries to sound like a badass, he sounds like he is 10 years old. It sounds completely ridiculous.
Basically Lautner has another 10 years and about 5 more bad movies to put under his belt before he gets the experiance to be anything more than “abs and a nose”.
Like all the other young actors from the “Twilight” movies, Lautner is exceedingly bland and I can’t really picture him as a captivating lead. Unfortunately, “Abduction” looks like a Jason Bourne movie for the 90210 crowd. I’d much rather see Bello, Weaver, and Molina in a completely different movie.
Lautner was cursed with success. He will get too many rolls, to “stretch his wings” when he might not be ready.
He has to be able to establish a presence against good actors to define himself, and if he doesn’t, he will be pilloried.
I thought he sounded like a kid in the trailer because he’s supposed to be a kid. I was thinking no more than 17.
I was also thinking “I Am Number 4″ but hey…
Nope. As soon as he loses his shirt, everyone will be catapulted into a flashback of Twilight. I honestly do not think his role in this film will be taken seriously. He does not have the ‘hero’ persona–He is not like the daredevil type-jumping outta windows-surviving explosions type. He just does not look grizzled. He still looks like a baby. I’ll wait for it on Netflix.
I just think the kid’s too bland to carry off a movie like this, but I don’t get Justin Bieber, either. I still have trouble watching 95lb actresses pummel 300lb dudes in action flicks, so this one’s a stretch.
I saw this trailer in the theater and I didn’t think it looked too bad. It seems much worse when watching the commercials on television.
I watched the trailer again instead of just going by my memory (plus I’ve never seen anything related to Twilight) and I think he works fine as the action-hero. Quite studly, too, if I remind myself the actor is an adult so it’s okay to think that. He’s way way more attractive than the other fellow who played the vampire and always looks drugged in photos.
Oh, and as a parent I find the trailer highly amusing in an ironic sort of way because the kid doesn’t know everything (and they always think they do, right) and he thinks he does, and because he’s wrong everything goes pear shaped. Usually in movies the kids know more than the adults do, no matter how unlikely that actually is.
Yikes! Based on the comments, let’s hope producers don’t cast Lautner in the lead for Klavan’s Homelander series screen adaptations.