Educational Media Reviews Online

Kidnapped has every thing a good adventure story needs: heroism, drama, danger and triumph over adversity. The main character is Davy Balfour, an orphan who tries to claim his rightful inheritance from his Uncle Ebenezer. His uncle arranges for him to be kidnapped and enslaved on a ship bound for America. While enroute to America the ship Davy is on runs down a boat carrying Alan Breck, a famous Highland hero. Davy and Alan join together to fight their way off the ship. Later, Davy finds himself running through the Scottish highlands with Alan, pursued by the English. There are many dangerous encounters with friends and enemies before the story draws to its final, spellbinding chapter. Although this novel is commonly known as a classic for young readers, the themes of courage and loyalty strike a chord in everyone’s heart.

This film is another outstanding production by Masterpiece Theater. Award winning director Brendan Maher (Good Guys Bad Guys, The Road from Coorain) collaborated with production designer Jo Ford and costume designer Lesley Burkes-Harding to bring Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure tale to film. The movie is set during the period of time just after the failed Jacobite uprising of 1745, when the English tried to erase Highland culture and Highland life. It was filmed in New Zealand rather than Scotland, in order to keep the picture frame as clear as possible (there were too many telephone poles in Scotland).

Stellar performances by Iain Glen as Alan Breck, James Anthony Pearson as Davie Balfour, Adrian Dunbar as both Ebenezer and Alexander Balfour, Gregor Fisher as James Stewart, Paul McGann as Colonel MacNab and Kirsten Coulter Smith as Catriona make this a story impossible for the viewer to resist. It is highly recommended for all public library collections and for Jr. High, High School and undergraduate academic collections as well. The DVD special features include a link to the Masterpiece Theatre website, scene selections and closed captioning.