KIDNAPPING STELLA

Germany, 2019, 89 minutes, Colour.
Max von der Groeben, Clemens Schick, Jella Haase.
Directed by Thomas Sieben.

An abduction thriller, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, 2009, was well reviewed in England. Its theme was taken up in the 2013 Dutch version of the original. And, here it is again, in a German version. Some have complained of the lack of acknowledgement of the later versions to the original but the remakes do, in fact, credit the writer of the original film J Blakeson.

The focus is on two men out of prison planning to abduct a young woman and hold her to ransom. They do all this although her father is initially unwilling to pay up. There are various complications, especially with the fact that one of the abductors knows and has suggested this young woman, she claiming that she is pregnant by him. He, of course, has to keep this information and contact from his co-conspirator.

As with so many of these dramas, felons fall out, and the victims are sometimes able to turn the tables on their abductors.

In many ways, this is a standard version of an abduction and ransom story.

1. The German version of the British Disappearance of Alice Creed and its Dutch remake?

2. The German setting, the city, the streets and the abduction, the rooms for the hostage, the derelict wharf, the countryside? The musical score?

3. The plan, Vic and Tom, time in jail, concocting the plan? Their backgrounds, criminal, getting out, the abduction, the choice of the victim, Tom and his suggestion, the revelation of his knowing Stella, boyfriend, her pregnancy? Her rich father, demanding the ransom?

4. The plan going well, the preparation of the room, stalking Stella, the masks, the van, taking her, her screaming, the cuffs, the mouthguard?

5. Her reaction, anger, confronting Tom, the story, the pregnancy, Tom checking the documents in the car? Her anger at him and his giving up, in prison? Not knowing anything about Vic? Feeding her, the embarrassment with the toilet?

6. Vic, character, intense, dominating Tom, wanting honesty, discovering the bullet, questioning Stella, her finally admitting the truth? Vic and the confrontation with Tom? Tom, the plan, his being nervous, Vic forcing him to eat, the clash with Stella, the effect on him? Vic getting the truth out of him?

7. Contact with the father, his initial refusal, subsequent agreement? Taking Stella to the wharf? Going out into the countryside, Tom digging, the money not there, Vic and the confrontation, the gun, Tom being shot?

8. Vic, the return to Stella, planning to kill her, the injection, Tom’s arrival, the confrontation, Stella tripping Vic, Tom shooting him? Tom and his dying?

9. Stella, the experience, in the car, the money, going home?