A runaway bride becomes a kidnapped one when Amanda (Katharina Sporrer) is abducted on her wedding day. Waking up bound and gagged in the trunk of a moving car, Amanda must attempt to navigate both her survival and a series of cat-and-mouse conversations with a mysterious kidnapper.
This single-location thriller by Danish writer/director Jonas Kvist Jensen has a fine hook – Buried by way of The Call – with a solid performance from its star, who gamely puts up with having a camera shoved in her face the whole time.
Unfortunately, it’s let down by clunky writing and even clunkier performances from its supporting cast. With everything hanging on the back-and-forth between the creepy kidnapper (Caspar Phillipson), it’s regrettable that his smarmy delivery makes their every interaction a chore to get through. After five minutes of the tin-eared dialogue, one will be left wishing the tape had stayed on Amanda’s mouth.
The Girl in the Trunk does have some moments that live up to its initial promise – including a surprise scorpion and a trunk-eye view of a man getting a car reversed into his face – but otherwise, this one should be given the boot.
THE GIRL IN THE TRUNK is out on digital download from May 28th.
