Luis Mandoki's thriller was released in the States without being shown to the press, reportedly because the studio felt its subject matter - child abduction - would prove uncomfortably topical in the wake of a spate of real-life infant kidnappings.

In truth, though, there really is no good time to release a film that cynically contrives suspense by placing a terrified and defenceless little girl in mortal peril.

Will and Karen Jennings (Stuart Townsend and Charlize Theron) are the perfect couple. They have a delightful daughter, Abby (Dakota Fanning); they own a beautiful lakeside house in Portland, Oregon; and they're on the verge of untold riches thanks to Will's patenting of a powerful new anaesthetic.

All of which makes them the perfect target for Joe (Kevin Bacon), a ruthless criminal who specialises in 24-hour kidnappings.

While his cousin Marvin (Priutt Taylor Vince) whisks Abby off to a hide-out in the woods, Joe holds Karen hostage at home until Will hands the ransom to Joe's wife, Cheryl (Courtney Love).

Call the cops and Abby dies. It's the perfect plan - until the family fights back...

The plotting may be predictable, but "Trapped" isn't totally without merit. Bacon is sleazily charismatic as the bad guy, the "real time" structure cranks up the claustrophobic tension efficiently, and the fiery freeway climax compares favourably to the grisly highway pile-up in "Final Destination 2".

But you only have to think back to real-life child abduction cases to see just how unsuitable a subject this is for a major Hollywood movie.