16 Most Thrilling Movies about Kidnapping

The number of movie productions today makes the genres and storylines in movies more diverse. Both horror and action movies are no exception.

However, horror movies are not always frightening and thrilling. Movies involving kidnapping will likewise make you feel uneasy. If you're still curious, take a look at the following list of top-rated kidnapping films below.

1. Below Zero

Martin (Javier Gutiérrez) serves as a police officer, whose duty involves transferring prisoners to different jails across the country.

His task becomes challenging when he is assigned to relocate a group of high-risk inmates to a more secure facility. However, en route, they find themselves trapped within the transport vehicle.

Their truck was intercepted by another group of criminals who kept firing bullets at them. Martin wasn't the only one in danger; the other prisoners were too. It's Martin's job to bring the prisoners to their rescue. Will Martin succeed in completing his task?

2. Room

Room tells the narrative of a man who kidnaps a woman named Joy, and locks her in "Room". During the abduction, Joy gave birth to a son, named Jack, who was raised in "Room" with no knowledge of the outside world.

Even though she never left "Room", Joy continued to show Jack great affection. Joy also taught Jack about outside life. She ensured that Jack could enjoy his life despite living exclusively indoors.

However, as Jack grew older, he became curious about the circumstances of those who were always inside "Room." Then, when Joy's patience ran out, she created a plan to get out of "Room".

How will Joy's escape end? Will Jack finally be able to see the outside world? You'll experience anxiety as you watch Joy and Jack escape from their kidnapper. So, make sure you watch it!

3. Prisoners

Hugh Jackman plays Keller Dover, a father who is searching for his daughter's and best friend's location after they mysteriously disappeared on Thanksgiving.

The only clue he got is the RV that was positioned near their residence. As the investigation unfolds, the driver of the RV emerges as a suspect. However, due to insufficient evidence, the police are unable to make an arrest.

While the cops and detectives continued to look for leads, the pressure on Keller was increasing. Keller is aware that her daughter's safety is at a risk. That's why he resolves to locate the kidnapper and rescue her daughter by himself. Will he succeed in rescuing her daughter?

4. Misery

There have been numerous films portraying fans' obsession with their idols. One of the films that carry this theme is Misery.

Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is a famous novelist. One of his novels featuring the lead character Misery Chastain is extremely popular on the market. However, Paul believes it is time to wrap up the Misery series. He intends to compose a novel featuring a new protagonist.

One day, Paul set off from New York to Silver Creek, a place where he used to gather ideas for his novels. But his automobile became stranded in a snowstorm on the way. Fortunately, a woman named Annie Wikes (Kathy Bates) assisted him.

Annie is so kind and welcoming. The woman claimed to be an avid reader of Paul's novels. After a restful night at Annie's residence and the end of the storm, Paul was about to continue his journey. However, Annie appeared to be stopping him and attempting to isolate him from the outside world.

Paul gradually recognizes that Annie is a psychopathic woman who didn't accept when he 'killed' the character of Misery. The only way for Paul to live is if he can bring the character of Misery back to life, whom Annie adores so much.

5. Taken

"I will look for you, find you, and kill you."

Are you familiar with this dialogue? Yes, the dialogue is spoken by Liam Neeson from the movie Taken. This dialogue is extremely popular and frequently used as meme content.

Former CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) spends his retirement with his only daughter, Kim Mills (Maggie Grace). Kim, who is in her teens, asks permission from Bryan to travel to Paris with her closest friend Amanda. Bryan initially refuses, but his ex-wife Leonore (Famke Janssen) persuades him to give her permission.

When Kim and Amanda arrive in Paris, they meet a man who offers to split the cost of a taxi ride. Kim and Amanda agree without thinking about it. It turns out that the man is actually a member of one of the kidnapping syndicates, out to find out where the two girls live.

On the other hand, Bryan finds out that Kim lied about her trip to Paris. Kim and Amanda actually traveled across Europe to watch U2's concert tour.

When Bryan called Kim to ask for an explanation, Kim saw Amanda being kidnapped. The kidnappers planned to abduct Kim along with Amanda.

Bryan who realized his daughter was in danger, pursued Kim and Amanda to Paris. Using his CIA experience, he determined to independently seek his only daughter.

6. A Perfect World

Not all kidnapping movies have tragic endings. A Perfect World is an example of a kidnapping movie with a truly touching plot.

It begins with an escape by a prisoner named Butch (Kevin Costner). Butch ends up kidnapping a child named Phillip / Buzz (T. J. Lowther) to use as a hostage after realizing his position is threatened.

Butch and Phillip's chemistry grows during the kidnapping. Butch is like a father figure. Phillip, who is now fatherless, considers Butch to be both a buddy and a father figure.

7. Saw

The Saw film series is extremely popular. But have you watched the first Saw movie? Yes, it came out in 2004 and James Wan was the film's director. The audience is instantly introduced to Jigsaw, who is famed for snatching his victims and forcing them to play the deadly game he has created.

The plot opens with two men being kidnapped and made unconscious. After waking up, they are placed in a room and see a lifeless person nearby. The two men then are instructed to perform a game in which they are required to kill each other or face terrible consequences.

8. Gone Baby Gone

A four-year-old girl was abducted. But the investigation that was conducted by the local police came to no conclusions. The girl's aunt then hires Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) as private investigators.

The two detectives stated that they had little expertise in handling this type of case, but the girl's family insists on hiring them.

As time passes, detectives Patrick and Angie uncover new information. They have to cope with drug trafficking organizations, pedophiles, and gangsters. As they are about to discover the silver lining in the kidnapping case, a moral dilemma arises.

9. Alpha Dog

It all starts with Jake (Ben Foster) who has a debt to Johnny (Emile Hirsch). Jake who is unable to pay his debt, approaches Johnny for forgiveness. Johnny, on the other hand, showed no sign of emotion. And when Johnny goes to Jake's house, he meets Zack (Anton Yelchin), Jake's younger brother.

Upon seeing Zack, the idea to abduct Zack popped into his head. Johnny then chose to kidnap the teenager who had nothing to do with his brother, taking him to the residence of one of his close friends, Frankie (Justin Timberlake).

After Zack's disappearance, his family reports the kidnapping to the police, and they also launch their own search, broadcasting Zack's information on news outlets and posters throughout town.

Realizing his position was in trouble, Johnny decides to kill Zack. As a result of this incident, Johnny became a fugitive and the FBI's most sought child.

10. All the Money in the World

Can you imagine how terrible it is when you hear that your favorite son has been taken? That's exactly what Gail Harris (Michelle Williams) goes through when her son, John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer), is kidnapped. The abductors demand a hefty ransom from Gail for her son's safe return.

In her desperation, Gail reaches out to J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), Getty III's grandfather, who is a wealthy businessman. Regrettably, the elder Getty shows no willingness to pay the ransom for his grandson's safe return.

Gail persists in her efforts to liberate her son. Gail then teams up with Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg), a former CIA agent and business manager at J. Paul Getty's company. Before it's too late, Gail and Fletcher must act quickly.

11. The Call

The Call tells the story of a Los Angeles 911 operator named Jordan Turner. Even though his job as a 911 operator is demanding, his friendship with his colleagues helps him remain focused throughout the night while answering calls.

Jordan once handled a call from a young girl incorrectly, which ultimately resulted in the abductor killing her. The error caused Jordan to lose faith in himself.

Six months after the incident, Jordan received another phone call from Casey. Casey was abducted and placed in the trunk of a racing automobile. Unfortunately, Casey was using a mobile phone without a chip to make the call. This prevented the 911 operators from tracking Casey's location over the phone.

Jordan swiftly took control of the situation and calmed her down, so that she was able to provide clues and the officers were able to mobilize. Casey's rescue depends heavily on the police stumbling across hints, like street names and vehicles matching the description of the kidnapper's vehicle.

When the kidnapper discovers Casey's mobile phone and negotiates with Jordan, he immediately realizes that the kidnapper is the same person who murdered a young girl six months prior.

Will Jordan finally be able to save Casey? Watch The Call right away if you want to find out more. You will undoubtedly be impressed with the action of Jordan who rescues Casey from the cold-blooded kidnapper.

12. The Disappearance of Alice Creed

Despite being underrated, The Disappearance of Alice Creed is one of fantastic films about abduction. This film presents a highly clever kidnapping story and is able to exploit the audience's emotions despite its modest budget and small cast.

At the beginning of the movie, you'll see two men planning a neat kidnapping. They purchase necessary tools, modify a vehicle to accommodate their captive, and prepare a room to confine their victim.

Their target is Alice Creed (Gemma Arterton), the daughter of a wealthy family. Alice is imprisoned, undressed, and photographed without a stitch of clothing. The two kidnappers, who are known to be escaped convicts, intend to approach Alice Creed's family for a ransom.

But Alice Creed is a remarkably resilient young woman. Even though she was in an extremely dangerous situation, she didn't simply give up.

13. The Missing

Set in New Mexico in 1885, Samuel Jones (Tommy Lee Jones) returns to see his daughter Maggie (Cate Blanchett) after their relationship has been strained due to Jones' choice for living with an Indian tribe.

Jones comes just as Maggie's daughter, Lily (Evan Rachel Wood), has been abducted by a witch. The motive behind Lily's abduction is child trafficking, with the grim intention of selling these kidnapped girls into prostitution.

Jones returns to locate and rescue Lily after realizing that she is in danger. Jones and Maggie must set their personal issues aside and work to save Lily.

14. Olympus Has Fallen

Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) prematurely retires from his career as a secret service agent, burdened with guilt. He blames himself for failing in his duties when the wife of the US President, whom he was assigned to protect, dies in an accident during a snowstorm.

Eighteen months after leaving his job, Banning discovers that the President of the United States, Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart), has been abducted by a North Korean terrorist organization. Ultimately, out of respect for the president he deeply admires, Banning is convinced to return to his former role to safeguard the president.

15. Cellular

Ryan (Chris Evans) received a mysterious phone call. A woman on the line claimed that she had been abducted and would be killed.

Initially, Ryan dismisses the call as a prank. But the woman's voice sounded serious and in desperate need of assistance. The issue, however, is that Ryan doesn't recognize the woman's voice.

Complicating matters further, Ryan's cell phone battery is rapidly draining, and if the call ends, he may lose the ability to assist the distressed caller.

16. Kidnap

Kidnap tells the story of a mother whose life is turned upside down when her child is abducted from the playground in broad daylight. She witnesses the kidnapper loading her son into a vehicle.

Karla Dyson who in a state of panic and anxiety, quickly tracked the abductor's car alone. Karla also swore not to give up until her son was returned. Karla then continues to follow the kidnapper.

Karla's concern for her son's safety will push her to go beyond her personal boundaries in order to save him. Using only her maternal instincts, can Karla rescue her son from the kidnappers?

So, there you have it - a selection of thrilling movies centered around kidnappings. If you have additional recommendations for movies in this genre, please don't hesitate to share them in the comments section.