Lifetime is doing a series of movies featuring national parks this year! This one was rather good. Craig and Sarah are married and have a teen named Regan. They heading off to Big Sky Country and a vacation gone wrong! When they get there, they settle into a fancy timber lodge and just happen to run into a guy Craig knows from college and who lives in Montana named Jackson Green. Sarah thinks this is more than a coincidence and that Craig planned all of this after they both slip away to catch up on "old-times." Regan really did not want to come along and turns in early. Later that night, Craig gets up and tells Sarah he has to do a favor for Jackson but she tells him he's not going without her. They pull up with an envelope and a burly mountain man ends up slugging Craig after reading a note from Jackson and tying them both up. Meanwhile, Regan is back at the lodge getting worried..... Will she find them and who can she trust? Good acting and an interesting plot with beautiful Montana scenery make this a good watch. DEFINITELY recommended!!!
7 Reviews
Trapped in Montana
bonnersweb15 September 2023
This TV movie was watchable. It was interesting because it was a twist from the "norm" in how the plot unfolds. It takes place in the scenic northwest. The writers hit on themes that advocates against people destroying earth's ecosystems of wildlife and our own existence. Once the vacationing family arrives from New York City, trust issues with the locals were all over the plot. All the main characters had person concerns that they were dealing with to prove that they wanted do better. The methods they chose were sometimes within the law or outside of it. The movie had every part of you hoping for a happy ending!
Plain terrible
Yadasampati16 September 2023
Whenever i see a movie like this, i realize that making a good movie is a real art, and that real art is quite rare. In this case, to say that it is not a good movie, is an understatement. Let's be honest, it is a bad movie, and it is actually plain terrible. The only nice thing to watch in it is the beautiful Montana landscape, but there are better options for that.
What struck me most is the very low quality acting, very unnatural and forced. This is parly due to the bad script, and partly due to the bad acting. The storyline is really simple and superficial too, which does not necessarily have to be a problem, but in this movie we are left with a very uninspired and unbelievable end product, that is embarrassing to watch.
What struck me most is the very low quality acting, very unnatural and forced. This is parly due to the bad script, and partly due to the bad acting. The storyline is really simple and superficial too, which does not necessarily have to be a problem, but in this movie we are left with a very uninspired and unbelievable end product, that is embarrassing to watch.
Poor
HorrorFilmHellion18 September 2023
Not much to appreciate on this one. Characters and script are too nonsensical and forced, and brutally cringy in some spots. The story itself is goofy and boring.. It's like someone that has no idea what western and midwestern state culture is like decided to make a movie about it based on rancid popculture theories. If there is a wilderness, then there must be evil white male poachers running around doing nasty schemes to make the world a worse place... epic yawn. It's barely watchable at best, but most likely you'll shut it off during the rediculous "road rage" encounter close to the beginning.
A wasted opportunity
Davalon-Davalon1 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
While Montana "co-stars" in this "wilderness thriller," and while there are shots and scenes of great natural beauty, it doesn't matter as none of it enhances what is an extremely talky, slow-moving "Lifetime" movie.
The plot, such as it is, is extremely convoluted due to a bizarre backstory between Craig (Justin Berti) and Jackson (Matt Pohlkamp). The story is divvied out in bits and pieces as the movie unfolds, but it doesn't make any sense at all. None. As such, the whole movie doesn't make any sense.
There are numerous scenes of people just sitting and talking. Yes, there a few shocking/surprising/thrilling moments, but mostly I found myself laughing out loud.
The film asks us to believe that Craig, after being shot through the leg with a steel arrow, nearly bleeding to death, stumbling and falls multiple times, and his wife Sarah (Laurie Fortier) accidentally (on purpose?) leaning on the wound, still has the strength at the end to stealthily walk up (on dead leaves, dirt, twigs and stones -- you know, the kind of ground you can hear from 20 paces away), shoves Jackson to the ground before Jackson "arrows" Sarah and daughter Regan (Veronica Ramirez) and cub ranger Jude (Abner Lozano).
And yet, five minutes before that, we see what is essentially Craig's death scene.
There's lots of driving and lots of talking, but because the backstory is simply too convoluted to process, none of it makes any difference.
One star for the location, one star for Veronica and Abner, who both show promises as actors, but who were unfortunately saddled with this substandard screenplay.
The movie could have more fully embraced the fantastic scenery of Montana and really showed people struggling against the elements, but this is another in a string of low-budget movies and hence, this is as good as it's going to get.
The plot, such as it is, is extremely convoluted due to a bizarre backstory between Craig (Justin Berti) and Jackson (Matt Pohlkamp). The story is divvied out in bits and pieces as the movie unfolds, but it doesn't make any sense at all. None. As such, the whole movie doesn't make any sense.
There are numerous scenes of people just sitting and talking. Yes, there a few shocking/surprising/thrilling moments, but mostly I found myself laughing out loud.
The film asks us to believe that Craig, after being shot through the leg with a steel arrow, nearly bleeding to death, stumbling and falls multiple times, and his wife Sarah (Laurie Fortier) accidentally (on purpose?) leaning on the wound, still has the strength at the end to stealthily walk up (on dead leaves, dirt, twigs and stones -- you know, the kind of ground you can hear from 20 paces away), shoves Jackson to the ground before Jackson "arrows" Sarah and daughter Regan (Veronica Ramirez) and cub ranger Jude (Abner Lozano).
And yet, five minutes before that, we see what is essentially Craig's death scene.
There's lots of driving and lots of talking, but because the backstory is simply too convoluted to process, none of it makes any difference.
One star for the location, one star for Veronica and Abner, who both show promises as actors, but who were unfortunately saddled with this substandard screenplay.
The movie could have more fully embraced the fantastic scenery of Montana and really showed people struggling against the elements, but this is another in a string of low-budget movies and hence, this is as good as it's going to get.
New Yorkers in Montana!
lavatch27 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
There were so many familiar faces in this film that it seemed like an actors' repertory company, especially with one of our all-time favorites, Laurie "Lifetime" Fortier.
Laurie plays Sarah Gerard, a reporter from New York, who embarks on a vacation to Montana with her husband Craig and their teenage daughter Regan. At the start of the trip, everyone is sour to one another. But as the family is endangered by the antics of the crazed owner of the lodge, Tucker Green, and his equally demented nephew, Tyler, the family members grow to value and cherish one another due to the crisis.
One of the most interesting characters was the park ranger Jude Rodriguez, who came to the assistance of the family when he spotted a strange transaction between Craig and his old college acquaintance Tucker. This led Jude to ally with Regan to discover the whereabouts her parents. Sarah showed grit in extracting an arrow from her husband's leg with the composure she had acquired as a veteran reporter, covering international stories in war-torn countries.
The filmmakers were successful in developing a theme of family values as everyone came to recognize one another's good traits. There was even a hint of romance between Ranger Luke and young Regan. There was some beautiful photography of Montana and the spectacular night sky. This film was a nice addition to Lifetime's series that celebrates America's National Parks with lust, intrigue, murder, and deception.
Laurie plays Sarah Gerard, a reporter from New York, who embarks on a vacation to Montana with her husband Craig and their teenage daughter Regan. At the start of the trip, everyone is sour to one another. But as the family is endangered by the antics of the crazed owner of the lodge, Tucker Green, and his equally demented nephew, Tyler, the family members grow to value and cherish one another due to the crisis.
One of the most interesting characters was the park ranger Jude Rodriguez, who came to the assistance of the family when he spotted a strange transaction between Craig and his old college acquaintance Tucker. This led Jude to ally with Regan to discover the whereabouts her parents. Sarah showed grit in extracting an arrow from her husband's leg with the composure she had acquired as a veteran reporter, covering international stories in war-torn countries.
The filmmakers were successful in developing a theme of family values as everyone came to recognize one another's good traits. There was even a hint of romance between Ranger Luke and young Regan. There was some beautiful photography of Montana and the spectacular night sky. This film was a nice addition to Lifetime's series that celebrates America's National Parks with lust, intrigue, murder, and deception.
Loved it!
maliaann10 September 2023
I thought "Taken in Montana" was entertaining and enjoyable. I mean, who doesn't love a well-written movie with excitement, mystery, kidnapping, surprise twists, and edge-of-your-seat moments. I hate spoilers so I'm not giving anything important away.
Sometimes dialogue can sound stilted and fake, but all the dialogue in "Taken" was perfect and natural, and the actors did an awesome job bringing all those fabulous words to life.
I loved it and totally recommend it. I would say that it's one of the best Lifetime movies I've seen, and I'd stick it right at the top of the must-watch Lifetime movies list. And, since a few of the characters are teenagers, I think young adults will really enjoy this film too.
Sometimes dialogue can sound stilted and fake, but all the dialogue in "Taken" was perfect and natural, and the actors did an awesome job bringing all those fabulous words to life.
I loved it and totally recommend it. I would say that it's one of the best Lifetime movies I've seen, and I'd stick it right at the top of the must-watch Lifetime movies list. And, since a few of the characters are teenagers, I think young adults will really enjoy this film too.
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