The Captive

This is the last time I take into consideration negative reviews + a low rating. I was very undecided about going to see this movie due to this bad habit of reading reviews on IMDb. It is not the first time a low rated movie turns out to be great, but it is certainly the greatest contrast between reviews and the actual movie. This just proves that most users are probably persons who don't understand a well constructed narrative and don't have an eye for beautiful cinematography. Ryan Reynolds does a great job and so do his co-stars. I also admire Mr. Atom Egoyan for writing, directing and producing this movie. It is a good movie. Go watch it and don't let the rating create low expectations. Hopefully it will exceed the current 5.8.

Man, I wanted this to be good. The idea is definitely there it was just executed badly. The acting and people involved were chosen well, Ryan Reynolds especially I thought did a good job. But that's all the positives from me.

There's just too many issues and plot holes in this, that you can't get past. The "villain" who has the daughter in captive. What's his deal? Why does he act bizarre? There's nothing explained about him at all. This is a common occurrence for a lot of the characters in this. Nobody is explained. No depth.

The lack of character depth then spilt into the plot itself. Certain conversations made no sense, because we have no depth to go off. An example is the convo in the prison (not a spoiler) who is this guy who is giving out demands and acting the top dog, when this scene is literally the only sodding scene he's in. WHO IS HE? Why does he have power? This sets up the next part, but you're left wondering why!

Other major issue was the flashbacks, they were not done correctly at all. Usually when it flashes back it should let us know, even if it's subtle and the characters look different. But no, it's literally the exact same just next shot. So half the time you are clueless that the scene isn't present and is past.

I feel like 5 is slightly generous won't lie, but I'm in a good mood today. It's a watchable film don't get me wrong, but it has a lot of issues. It's a shame because the idea is there, just the execution isn't.

Let me start by stating this isn't the greatest movie ever made - You've only got to look at some of the other reviews to see that. However...

I actually really enjoyed it (maybe because I'm the father of a 10 year old girl, and so could perhaps relate easier, IDK??). Anyway, it really got me hooked from the beginning. Sorry all you haters but it deserves better than a 5/10 score.

Many people moan about the confusing timeline. I honestly can't say I struggled with the story going back and forth. The actors appearances altered accordingly with age, hairstyles, etc... the story actually seemed fairly straight forward to follow without any difficulty. I can easily get muddled up in an awkward film if I lose interest - maybe that's what happened to all the negative critics on here??? Overall, an enjoyable movie (despite the disturbing story) that I'll undoubtedly recommend to family and friends.

Sometimes your hunch can be completely off. Doesn't matter if you're a good cop otherwise. And this is just one of the sub-stories that are woven into the story. A story that is very close to reality, which makes this tough to watch. Ryan Reynolds is our driving force as his character (and his wife) cannot forget and forgive what happened to them. Who's fault is it though? Can it be on persons fault at all? The time-line hopping tries to keep the suspense up, which doesn't always succeed though.

The performances are great and you always can relate to the people involved. It might get a bit too much towards the end (not sure everyone will like how this goes on towards the finale), but it's generally a decent thriller and a "good" watch

Plain and simple, this movie is so ridiculous it's almost funny. I feel like it was written by teenagers. The story line has potential but the way it is told is confusing, unclear, and with no real purpose for being so out of order.. With the exception of the father played by Ryan Reynolds, I have to say that every single character is extremely unrealistic. The detectives in particular are the most unbelievable characters I've ever seen in a movie to date. They acted childish and inexperienced, not at all like the child abduction detectives they are meant to be. The most ridiculous thing for me was the treatment of Ryan Reynolds' character (as the father of the missing girl). Yes, I get that often the parents are the first suspects in a child abduction case.. But once they are ruled out, that should be the end of it! Their treatment of the father in the initial interview is absolutely absurd... And yet, even 8 years after the abduction, when it is pretty bloody obvious the father had nothing to do with the abduction, Scott Speedman's character is still giving the poor guy a hard time about it! For e.g, Speedman's detective finds it suspicious that Reynolds has a shrine to his missing daughter in the back of his truck? I believe the exact quote was "what's with the shrine, man?" as he is taking photos of the truck... On what planet is it suspicious behaviour to have a shrine of your missing daughter?! It would be more suspicious if Reynolds' character wasn't grieving over his missing daughter, wouldn't it?? The character of the kidnapper is also just absolutely hilarious. His voice, his demeanor, his facial expressions, all just completely over the top. I half expected him to swivel around in an arm chair stroking a cat with a patch over his eye.. Argh. Don't waste your time with this piece of poop.