RECLAIM is another cheap straight-to-DVD thriller starring John Cusack. He plays a mysterious character who hooks up with a married couple visiting a foreign country. They've recently adopted a Haitian orphan girl, but a murky conspiracy soon rises to the fore. The small cast is probably the best thing about this undemanding effort. Ryan Philippe and Rachel Lefevre commit themselves ably enough as the protagonists and Cusack is always fun; old-timer Luis Guzman even shows up in support. Sadly, the plotting is very limited and after a bit of early mystery it gives way entirely in the second half, turning into a drawn-out chase thriller littered with dodgy effects and some really distracting continuity errors (watch the placement of the cardigan in the final scene). The only interesting part is the setting; like many new cheap films, it was shot in a glorious Puerto Rico.

It's got all the good checkboxes: they're rich, he's got a 'drinking problem', she's barren, he's an idiot, she's always right and always angry and self righteous. They both have terrible judgment almost criminally retarded bad. The bad guys are practically twirling their mustaches and cackling. I haven't watched it through yet but I figure at the end, red hair white girl will kick butt, get the child back and castrate her husband. Other reviews complain ceaselessly how paint by numbers this is. That's a good thing it's entirely vapid and stupid down to the music which is from other movies; probably some random Nick Cage trash. But cookie cutter is good. Fast food is good. Eat your burger. Stop whining.

Another movie portraying and suggesting how criminal offences happen best in a land far away from the western world.The real-life lesson: there is on lesson that can be taken from this: scams do exist. I personally am a very optimistic person and would rely on peoples good intention and will in most cases not thinking about scams, but as this movie shows, scams are common and should be taken seriously. Also, people should not be believed just because they show up to your door and ask you to follow them on the basement (like the couple beloved the girl when she said she knew where Nina was. Plausibility: the scam happening is definitely possible and so is the way the couple escapes. This as a matter of fact was one of the strengths of the movie: the criminals are people too and so they make mistakes and things get out of their control (like loosing the Steven at the bank or leaving the girlfriend alone with the couple and they escaping from girlfriends guard). Character analysis: Benjamin- a polite criminal - hated betrayal and was extremely greedy. All we know about him is that he claimed to be adapted too, why he did what he did was not explained and so left us with the implication that money was the only reason. He could have been developed further to give us a better understanding of his actions. Steven-bad decision maker- decisions that had had bad consequences in the past and as a result his self esteem and confidence is shaken. Shannon-bringing up that Steven's decisions have not always been the best (in the hotel when she said that use your judgement) did definitely not make her my favourite. But not be so harsh she is human and things are said at times when emotions are high as was the case with Shannon. Acting: Rachelle Lefevre was great and so was John Cusack. At the beginning I was thinking why did they cast Ryan Phillippe when he was doing such a poor job, but if the character was of Ryan Phillippe was supposed to be someone that comes across as insecure or a coward (as I learned later that this was the case ) than Ryan Phillippe too did a great job in bringing his character across as exactly that-insecure. Plot/Storyline development: it was at times slow. Especially when the movie was so keen to show us what a wonderful time the family was having. I think those scenes could have been moved way after. What I loved however was how when I believed that the story was over and they are save now only waiting for the criminal lady to be catch, the final action had not even started. That was an unexpected turn of events for me that I liked.

Try as I might otherwise, I am certain the NO ONE is as dumb as the parental couple in this film. Every decision the parents make is wrong. Upon multiple reviews, I could not come to similar choices if I were in their place. Again and again common sense is replaced by sheer stupidity. My frustration level was so high after watching, that when I returned home after watching, I was yelling so much at these simpletons that my dogs hid from me. If the writers and actors intent was to frustrate the paying patron with idiocy, I wish they'd let us know ahead of time so we could perhaps dig a hole in the back yard and toss the admission money into it instead. Anger and annoyance from the waste of my time.