11 exciting kidnapping movies

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Classics from the Coen brothers, film adaptation of King's story and other cool films in our selection.

11. Cellular

• USA, Germany, 2004.
• Action, thriller, crime.
• Duration: 94 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 5.

Jessica is suddenly kidnapped in broad daylight and locked in a room. All she has is a barely working phone. She dials a random number. Ryan, a young student, is on the other end of the line. He learns about what happened and tries to save Jessica. Complicating an incredibly difficult task is the fact that the cell of the savior is about to stop working, and there is no time to recharge.

The plot of the film deserves the highest praise: the action develops so unexpectedly and dynamically. It was based on the idea of Hollywood screenwriter Larry Cohen. It is noteworthy that before that he had already written a similar script - for the psychological thriller "Telephone Booth". However, there the hero cannot leave his place - in Cellular, Cohen turned this idea upside down and gave the character the opportunity to be anywhere.

10. Emergency call

• USA, 2013.
• Thriller, crime, drama.
• Duration: 95 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

Jordan Turner is an emergency operator in Los Angeles. One day she makes a mistake that leads to the death of a young girl at the hands of a rapist. After a while, the situation repeats itself: the headquarters receives a call from a frightened teenager who is in the trunk of the kidnapper. Jordan takes matters into his own hands, trying to identify the culprit and save the unfortunate child.

According to the scriptwriter's idea, "Alert Call" was supposed to be an action-packed series dedicated to the work of the operators of the rescue service. However, later it was decided to release a film based on the script of the pilot episode of this show. The creators of the project did not fail and presented the audience with a wonderful movie.

Thanks to the poignant plot, the film keeps you on your toes until the very end. And the brilliance of the picture is added by the stunning Halle Berry in the role of Jordan.

9. All the money in the world

• USA, Italy, UK, 2017.
• Thriller, drama, crime, detective, biography.
• Duration: 132 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

The teenager John is kidnapped by unknown persons in order to get a ransom from his grandfather, Jean Paul Getty. The fact is that Jean Paul is an oil tycoon and the richest man in the world. However, he does not want to pay money to save his grandson. In his opinion, this will mark the beginning of a series of abductions of his relatives. In opposition to him, Gail acts - John's mother, ready to go to any lengths to get her son back.

An unpleasant story is connected with the production of this film. Kevin Spacey originally starred as the greedy tycoon. However, later a scandal erupted around the actor, and director Ridley Scott decided to replace him with Christopher Plummer. In the film community, such a move caused a resonance: some supported the director, while other colleagues reproached him for such a step.

However, despite the difficulties in production, the film turned out to be very organic and beautifully made, like Scott's other works.

8. The skin I live in

• Spain, USA, 2011.
• Thriller, crime, drama.
• Duration: 120 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

Robert Ledgard is a genius of surgery. He invented a material that can be a great substitute for human skin. Ledgard's discovery has the potential to help those who have been in an accident or suffered from burns. However, this innovator scares colleagues: his methods are distrustful. They do not yet know that in a mansion on the outskirts of the city, Robert is holding a captive, on which he tests his invention.

The picture was shot by the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, who has long been called a classic during his lifetime. The film has a very unusual, slightly insane atmosphere and intricate plot. And the denouement of the action is unlikely to be able to guess even the most sharp-witted spectator. The fact is that only at the end of the narrative is a very rich history of each character revealed to us.

The tape took part in the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival in 2011, but did not receive any awards. A year later, BAFTA named "The Skin I Live In" as the best foreign language film.

7. Substitution

• USA, 2008.
• Thriller, drama, crime, detective, biography, history.
• Duration: 141 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Single mother Christine is raising her son Walter. One day she is delayed at work, and upon returning home, she discovers that her boy is missing. The police cannot help the woman, and then Pastor Gustav pays attention to the case. He criticizes the helplessness of law enforcement, and the public begins to follow the case in the Collins family. After a while, the police find the missing Walter. But Christine realizes that this is not her child. A woman will have to go to great lengths to get her son home.

Initially, "Substitution" was supposed to be filmed by Ron Howard, known for the films "A Beautiful Mind", "Knockdown", "The Da Vinci Code". But due to his employment, the project was transferred to Clint Eastwood. He agreed to sit in the director's chair immediately after reading the script.

The plot of the drama draws in the viewer and keeps him in suspense until the very end. The sad fact is that the film is based on the real story of the kidnapping of children in California in 1928.

6. Hostage

• France, USA, 2008.
• Action, thriller.
• Duration: 90 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Former CIA agent Brian Mills reluctantly allows his 17-year-old daughter Kim to travel with a friend to Paris. Brian's fears are justified. Immediately after arriving in the city of dreams, the girls are kidnapped by criminals working in the sex slavery network. During the attack, Kim manages to call his father and give several details that will serve as clues to Brian. The father goes to Paris to save his daughter.

The plot of the film makes the viewer nervous and squeezes into a chair. It is especially enjoyable to watch Liam Neeson play the main role. His character shows the viewer what true fatherly love is.

5. Misery

• USA, 1990.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 107 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Paul Sheldon is a famous writer who has completed another novel. On the way to Los Angeles, Paul gets caught in a snowstorm and drives off the road. Fortunately, he is saved by his former nurse Annie Wilkes, his biggest fan. She takes the writer to her hut, where she looks after him. At this time, Paul allows her to read the yet unpublished work. Annie is horrified to learn that her beloved heroine dies at the end. She keeps Paul imprisoned and forces him to rewrite the narrative.

The film is based on Stephen King's novel Misery, and was directed by Rob Reiner. It is noteworthy that before that the director had already filmed another work of the writer - the story "Body" (it became the film "Stay with Me"). Both films became Hollywood classics and immortalized the director's name.

4. Captives

• USA, 2013.
• Thriller, drama, crime, detective.
• Duration: 153 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Two girlfriends, Anna and Joy, disappear without a trace. Their parents go to the police, and then Detective Loki gets down to business. He goes to the only eyewitness - the driver of the van Alex. He cannot help the investigation, since he has an extremely low IQ, so the police let him go. Then Anna's father, Keller, kidnaps Alex to "knock" more evidence out of him.

This film is a very powerful psychological thriller that will inevitably resonate with the viewer. The impression of "Captives" is enhanced by the stunning acting work. It stars Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.

3.12 years of slavery

• USA, UK, 2013.
• Drama, biography, history.
• Duration: 133 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Solomon Northup is a highly respected violinist. He has a beloved wife and two wonderful children. Suddenly Solomon is kidnapped by two men. The musician cannot achieve release and prove that he is a free African American. After the hero is sold into slavery under the name Platt. In a new role for himself, Solomon must face all the horrors of bondage. This unfortunate journey will last for 12 years.

The film is based on real events described by Solomon Northup in his autobiography "12 Years of Slavery." This fact enhances the influence of an already heavy and dark film. For a complex topic, as well as brilliant directorial and acting work, the film was awarded the title "Film of the Year" by a large number of film awards.

2. Fargo

• USA, UK, 1996.
• Thriller, drama, comedy, crime.
• Duration: 98 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Jerry Landegaard works in a car dealership and has financial difficulties. His father-in-law is the richest man, and Jerry decides to extort money from him. To do this, he turns to two bandits. They must kidnap his wife and ask her father for ransom. However, the plan collapses epic, as a result of which people die. And the talented police officer Marge Gunderson takes on this difficult and confusing case.

The film was directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, and this work is called the best in their work. Fargo has been listed on the National Register of Cultural Films of the United States. The picture became so popular that a series of the same name was filmed based on its plot (although the script for the show is still original). At the moment, four seasons have been created.

1. Prisoner of the Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures

• USSR, 1966.
• Comedy, adventure, melodrama, musical.
• Duration: 82 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

Shurik is a philology student who came to the Caucasus to record local folklore. Here he meets charming Nina, and then falls in love with her. Local residents persuade the young man to participate in an allegedly rigged ritual - kidnapping the bride before the wedding. Shurik gets upset when he finds out that the bride is Nina. However, he agrees to help steal the girl.

Of course, the film is very different from the other films in this collection. However, speaking of abductions in the cinema, it is impossible not to mention the tape of Leonid Gaidai. "Prisoner of the Caucasus" has long acquired the status of classic Soviet cinema. Excerpts from dialogues have become catch phrases, and musical numbers have become all your favorite hits.