Reclaim (film)
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''Reclaim'' is a 2014
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
thriller film directed by Alan White and starring
John Cusack John Paul Cusack ( ; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 80 films. He began acting in f ...
. The film was released on
video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films Digital distribution, digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typica ...
, with a simultaneous limited theatrical release in the United States, on September 19, 2014. Ryan Phillippe and Rachelle Lefevre play an American couple who travel to
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
to adopt an orphan (Briana Roy), and become entangled in a deadly scam.


Plot

After a car accident that left her unable to have children, Shannon (
Rachelle Lefevre Rachelle Marie Lefevre ( , ; born February 1, 1979) is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the television series '' Big Wolf on Campus'' and had recurring roles in '' What About Brian'', '' Boston Legal'', and '' Swingtown''. She played the va ...
) and her husband, Steven (
Ryan Phillippe Matthew Ryan Phillippe ( ; born September 10, 1974) is an American actor. After appearing as Billy Douglas (One Life to Live), Billy Douglas on the soap opera ''One Life to Live'' (1992–1993) and making his feature film debut in ''Crimson Tide ...
), decide to adopt a Haitian girl, Nina, orphaned after the 2010 earthquake, through the IRA (International Rescue Adoption), an organization run by Gabrielle Reigert (
Jacki Weaver Jacqueline Ruth Weaver (born 25 May 1947) is an Australian theatre, film, and television actress. Her accolades include five AACTA Awards (including the Longford Lyell Award) and a National Board of Review Award, in addition to nominations ...
) and based in
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
. Having paid $60,000, the two move to a resort while they wait for Nina's
United States passport United States passports are passports issued to citizens and non-citizen nationals of the United States of America. They are issued exclusively by the U.S. Department of State. Besides passports (in booklet form), limited-use passport cards ...
to arrive. Steven takes an instant dislike at his neighbors, Benjamin (
John Cusack John Paul Cusack ( ; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 80 films. He began acting in f ...
), Salo (Jandres Burgos), and Paola (Veronica Faye Foo), especially after a misunderstanding with Salo at a bar, where he tells them about Nina, leads to a fight. Two days after the adoption, the couple wake up to discover that Nina has disappeared. They begin their search and contact a police officer (
Luis Guzmán Luis Guzmán (born August 28, 1956) is a Puerto Rican actor. His career spans over 40 years and includes a number of films and television series. He has appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's films ''Boogie Nights'' (1997), ''Magnolia (film), Magn ...
) who tells them that their adoption documents are not recorded, while the IRA's headquarters in
Old San Juan Old San Juan () is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the San Juan Islet, islet of San Juan in San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Old San Juan, Ballajá, Catedral, Old San Juan, ...
has been deserted. Steven admits that Reigert had demanded an additional $40,000 as part of the adoption cost, which he did not tell to Shannon beforehand. The officer then suggests that the IRA is a confidence schemer which offers orphans to unsuspecting couples in exchange for a hefty sum of money, only to take them away just a few days afterward. That night, Steven and Shannon are kidnapped by Benjamin and his aides, who reveal themselves to be child traffickers working for Reigert. Holding Nina, they force the couple to send their entire savings, which are largely compensation for the car accident that left them unable to conceive. The next day, Steven heads to the bank at gunpoint to collect the savings. Having taken note that Benjamin's mansion was in Maunabo, he escapes back to the mansion with the money from Salo. Meanwhile, Shannon breaks free from her captivity, takes Nina, then distracts Paola long enough for Steven to take her gun and vehicle to facilitate his escape with his wife and Nina. They are pursued by Benjamin and Salo, though the latter is killed when a truck hits his car. After a chase, Benjamin crashes his car and is presumed dead, while the couple and Nina narrowly avoid falling from a steep cliff. The three are escorted back by the officer, but he is killed by Benjamin who, having survived his crash, knocks Steven unconscious before taking them to Reigert's villa. A dispute regarding his shares of the money causes Benjamin to shoot Reigert dead. Steven recovers and follows Benjamin, who chases Shannon into a decrepit building. Just before he is able to murder Shannon, Steven arrives and kills Benjamin. Nina then arrives, traumatized by the incident, picks up Benjamin’s gun and points it at Steven and Shannon. They manage to convince her to put it down and to live with them. The film ends with a text showing the viewers that 1.2 million children are being trafficked each year with a quote: "They are invisible and they are everywhere."


Cast

*
John Cusack John Paul Cusack ( ; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 80 films. He began acting in f ...
as Benjamin *
Ryan Phillippe Matthew Ryan Phillippe ( ; born September 10, 1974) is an American actor. After appearing as Billy Douglas (One Life to Live), Billy Douglas on the soap opera ''One Life to Live'' (1992–1993) and making his feature film debut in ''Crimson Tide ...
as Steven Mayer - Father *
Rachelle Lefevre Rachelle Marie Lefevre ( , ; born February 1, 1979) is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the television series '' Big Wolf on Campus'' and had recurring roles in '' What About Brian'', '' Boston Legal'', and '' Swingtown''. She played the va ...
as Shannon Mayer - Mother *Briana Roy as Nina - Haitian orphan *
Jacki Weaver Jacqueline Ruth Weaver (born 25 May 1947) is an Australian theatre, film, and television actress. Her accolades include five AACTA Awards (including the Longford Lyell Award) and a National Board of Review Award, in addition to nominations ...
as Gabrielle Reigert - Adoption director *
Luis Guzmán Luis Guzmán (born August 28, 1956) is a Puerto Rican actor. His career spans over 40 years and includes a number of films and television series. He has appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's films ''Boogie Nights'' (1997), ''Magnolia (film), Magn ...
as Police Superintendent *Jandres Burgos as Salo *Veronica Faye Foo as Paola *Alex Cintrón as Hotel Manager *Millie Ruperto as Female Police Sergeant *Luis Gonzaga as Police Detective *Oscar H. Guerrero as Taxi Driver *Reema Sampat as Interpreter *Isabelle Adriani as Esmeralda - Bank Teller *Sunshine Logroño as Mr. Alfonso Lopez -Bank Manager *Sean Taylor as Gerry *Blas Diaz as Walker


Production

Plans to film ''Reclaim'' were announced in 2013 and White was set to direct the film, which was initially intended to take place in Australia. This was later changed after
Screen Australia Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
declined the film's investment pitch and the filming and setting was changed to take place in Puerto Rico. Filming took place in late 2013 over a period of 23 days, which Lefevre has described as "intense". Child actress Roy commented on her role, stating that she found the hardest part to be "speaking all the languages, French, Creole and English.“


Reception

On
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Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film holds an approval rating of 0% based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 2.87/10. On
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, the film has a weighted average score of 26 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Much of the negative criticism centered around the film's plot, which many reviewers found too familiar and formulaic. Reviewers did praise the film's acting and scenery, with ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' highlighting child star Brianna Roy out as a highlight. The ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' criticized the movie for its script, writing "Carmine Gaeta and Luke Davies' screenplay is constructed from plot mechanics, and the emotional stakes grow less convincing with every twist of the screw."


References


External links

* {{IMDb title, 3202890 2014 films 2014 crime thriller films 2010s mystery films 2014 crime drama films American crime thriller films American mystery films American crime drama films Films scored by Inon Zur Films about adoption Films about child abduction 2010s chase films Films shot in Puerto Rico 2014 direct-to-video films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films English-language crime drama films English-language crime thriller films English-language action thriller films English-language mystery films