Category Archives: Kidnapping

2010, Conspiracy, Could Be Hard To Watch, Drama, Grim, Kidnapping, Political statement, Suspense

Buried (2010)

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From NetFlix:

While on a job in Iraq, civilian contractor Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is attacked and kidnapped, then awakens to find himself buried alive in the middle of the desert with nothing but a lighter, a candle, a cell phone and a knife. Does Paul have the instincts he’ll need to save himself? Director Rodrigo Cortés crafts a tense psychological thriller with sociopolitical undertones that doubles as an exercise in claustrophobic terror.

If you are claustrophobic, DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM !

If you read the Wikipedia article you will find rave reviews such as “Wringing a seemingly impossible amount of gripping drama out of its claustrophobic premise, Buried is a nerve-wracking showcase for Ryan Reynolds’ talent.” Here is a film in which Ryan Reynolds is anything but a handsome Hollywood star.

Incredibly spell-binding , I could not take my eyes off the screen. But this is a film with a nasty message. We are asked to believe that Paul Conroy was purposely setup by his American contractor. At the very least his company CRT weasels out of its responsibilities by concocting a reason for claiming that he was discharged from the company JUST BEFORE being kidnapped. How on earth could we know that such things have ever occurred ?

From a technical standpoint: would not Paul have exhausted the air in the buried crate a lot sooner than the film shows ?

In no way can I spoil this film for you. You will just have to suffer through the torture to see what happens.

2005, Book Review, Child Molestation, Complicated, Dark, Detective, Explicit sex, Kidnapping, Occasional gore, Plot Twist, Rape, Revenge, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Violent

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2005)

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From the book jacket:

Harriet Vanger, scion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

Stieg Larsson has written a trilogy entitled “Millennium” whose three books in order are:

  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
  • The Girl Who Played With Fire
  • The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets’ Nest

My Vintage Books paperback edition is 644 pages long. Because the book is such a page-turner I devoured the book in a weekend. I was intent on reading the book before I watched the Danish film version.

Much of the narrative alternates often between the activities of Blomkvist and Salander, somewhat like ships in the night. Eventually they work closely together. Take “closely” to have two meanings because Blomkvist in the course of the novel sleeps with three different women.

Expect some graphic rape scenes, sadistic serial killings, and really nasty members of the Vanger clan. Also expect to have a lot of fun.

Initially I tried to maintain a written list of the many characters. Finally the novel itself provides a table of Vanger family members to which I often referred.

2007, Crime, Kidnapping, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Shattered (2007)

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From NetFlix:

Neil (Gerard Butler) and Abby’s (Maria Bello) perfect life in Chicago is instantly turned upside down when their little girl (Emma Karwandy) is abducted by a kidnapper (Pierce Brosnan) with an elaborate scheme. With the clock ticking on their daughter’s life, the couple is totally forced to comply with the wishes of a true madman. Mike Barker directs this thriller; Desiree Zurowski and Claudette Mink co-star.

In this film Gerard Butler is passable. What this film is good for is plain old suspense and clever plot twists. It held my interest throughout.

1990, Drama, Explicit sex, Kidnapping, Not Feel Good, Nudity, Suspense, Violent

After Dark My Sweet (1990)

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From NetFlix:

When a couple of conniving lowlifes (Rachel Ward, Bruce Dern) hatch a plot to kidnap the scion of a wealthy local family, they pick the wrong man to carry out the job: Kid Collie (Jason Patric), a disturbed ex-boxer on the lam from a mental institution. Collie narrates this twisted tale of double crosses and deception directed by James Foley (At Close Range) and adapted from the Jim Thompson novel.

Years ago I saw Jason Patric in “Sleepers”, a difficult-to-watch film about child kidnap and sexual abuse. In looking for more Patric films I tried “Expired” (2007) and “Your Friends and Neighbors” (1998). In both films he played the part of a nasty somewhat despicable person. I refused to recommend either film. In “After Dark My Sweet” he does and excellent and consistent job in becoming the damaged Kid Collie. Good story with unpredictable plot twists. For the life of me I cannot figure out what the ta

Could be boring, Detective, Drama, Feel Good Not For Children, Kidnapping, Mystery Film, Scam Artists, Suspense, Unusual

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

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From NetFlix:

After her beloved father dies, the sassy Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott) sells an inheritance of 180 cows to start a detective agency and becomes the first female sleuth in the history of Botswana. Co-starring Anika Noni Rose as Ramotswe’s assistant and secretary, Mma Makutsi, this quirky whodunit was adapted from Alexander McCall Smith’s hit mystery novels. The film also marks the last directing credit for Anthony Minghella (English Patient).

Season One contains 3 discs. Because of a theme of kidnapping children to sell their body parts (e.g. fingers) as magic amulets, this series might not be for children. More than that, an American audience might find the slow childlike speech patterns in the Botswana English a bit hard to take. I almost stopped watching even the first episode until the plot became somewhat sinister and my curiosity kept me watching. But after that first episode I returned the disc to NetFlix. The books are better than the TV adaptations, in my opinion.

2002, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Kidnapping, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Trapped (2002)

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From NetFlix:

In this tense thriller, a young girl with asthma (Dakota Fanning) is kidnapped and held for ransom. Her captors (Courtney Love and Kevin Bacon) tell her parents (Stuart Townsend and Charlize Theron) that they’ll deprive the child of her medication unless they comply with their terms, one of which is not to contact the police. Pressed for time and clinging to their sanity, the tortured parents must work through this horrifying ordeal alone.

“Trapped” is the best kidnapping film I have seen to date. As one of the villains Keven Bacon is the usual perfect actor. In fact all the actors, including the child Dakota Fanning, are excellent. The plot details are very creative allowing for many surprises. Quite frankly I was glued to my seat.

I have one objection: could there really be a family of three, each of whom is so clever, inventive and brave?

If the ending were not so satisfying, you might mistake it for just another highway crash scene. But even that scene is one I can’t remember seeing in another film.

If you want a really good suspense film, DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!