Before Prisoners. Hugh Jackman plays the father of a missing girl who kidnaps the man suspected of taking her in order to get her back. The movie is an engrossing crime story with a compelling kidnapping plot at its center.
This kind of premise has been used for plenty of great thrillers. Over the years, the concept of a hostage situation or a missing person case sets up great mystery and tension for an effective thriller. If you're a fan of Prisoners, take a look at some of the other great kidnapping films.
Taken (2008)
While certainly not as subtle as Prisoners, Taken takes the kidnapping story and turns it into an edge-of-your-seat action thriller. Liam Neeson plays a former special forces agent whose young daughter is taken while on a trip overseas. Using his particular set of skills, the father stops at nothing to rescue her.
This film helped Neeson kick start a new wave of his career as a badass action star. He is very effective in the film as the relentless hero and it is a lot of fun seeing him beat his way through armies of bad guys while looking for his daughter.
Panic Room (2002)
Acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher says he set out to make a B-movie with Panic Room. Of course, with Fincher's talents and this impressive cast, the film ended up being far more impressive than your average B-movie.
Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart play a mother and daughter who move into a new house which is invaded by a trio of thieves. While the women hide in the house's state-of-the-art panic room, the bad guys reveal that who they are after is inside that room. Panic Room is a tense and entertaining ride, effectively using its confined setting.
Alpha Dog (2006)
Based on a horrific true story, Alpha Dog is the story of Los Angeles criminal Johnny Truelove. After getting into a feud with a rival gangster, Johnny makes a plan to kidnap the man's younger brother in order to get the money he is owed. The situation soon spirals out of control.
With a cast of talented young actors, including the late Anton Yelchin, Alpha Dog is a frustrating story of tragedy that could have been avoided. These young wannabe criminals are so obsessed with maintaining their tough-guy image that they create a terrible situation that takes innocent lives.
Don't Say A Word (2001)
In Don't Say a Word, Michael Douglas plays a psychiatrist whose daughter is taken by a group of criminals. In order to get her back, the kidnappers tell the man he needs to find out a secret held by one of his young patients who suffers from severe traumatic stress disorder.
Though the plot is a bit contrived, it does make for a pretty entertaining popcorn film. Douglas makes for a great everyman hero while Brittany Murphy gives a standout performance as his troubled patient.
Ransom (1996)
It's always interesting to see a movie take a familiar idea and do something new and inventive with it. In Ransom, Mel Gibson plays a successful businessman whose son is taken by a group of criminals who demand a large cash payment to ensure his return.
Gibson's character is a loving father who will do anything to protect his boy, but when he starts to believe the kidnappers have no intention of giving his son back, he turns the tables on them. With a strong cast, Ransom is an intense thriller from beginning to end.
Hostage (2005)
While Bruce Willis is the typical kind of action hero you might see in these movies, he gives a surprisingly vulnerable performance in Hostage. Willis stars as a former hostage negotiator whose family is taken by shadowy bad guys. They demand that he help them retrieve something from a house that is currently the setting for another hostage situation.
The film is a brutal and violent thriller with an underrated performance from Willis. But it is Ben Foster who steals the show as one of the young hostage-takers.
Red Eye (2005)
Though Wes Craven is known as a master of horror, he proved he is just as effective with a good thriller in Red Eye. Rachel McAdams plays a young woman taking a red-eye flight and finds herself sitting next to a charming stranger (Cillian Murphy). However, the man soon reveals her father will be killed if she doesn't help with his evil plan.
Once again, a small and confined setting is used to great effect. The two leads help sell the suspenseful and tricky story that builds with excitement until the very end.
Searching (2018)
We've seen plenty of recent movies that take place entirely on computer and phone screens. But perhaps the best film to use this format is the thriller Searching. John Cho plays a father whose daughter goes missing and he begins a desperate search to find out what happened.
Cho is excellent in the very difficult lead role and makes for a spectacular hero. The film uses its format to punctuate scenes of suspense, heartbreak, and humor. Searching is the kind of movie that will surprise many people.
Man On Fire (2004)
Set in Mexico City, Man on Fire stars Denzel Washington as a former special ops agent who takes a job as a bodyguard for a wealthy family. Though he tries to keep his distance, he forms a bond with the young girl in the family. When she is taken for ransom, he goes on a brutal mission of revenge.
Washington gives one of his most badass performances in this Tony Scott stylish crime story. The film's fast pace will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Ben Affleck made his impressive directorial debut in this dark crime drama. Set in Boston, Casey Affleck plays a private investigator who is hired by the family of a missing girl to help solve the case. As he digs deeper, he uncovers one shocking truth after another.
Gone Baby Gone is an intense and disturbing film, much like Prisoners. Affleck shows his talents behind the camera, and the cast, including Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman, elevate the material. It also packs an emotional punch with the challenging finale.
