The 90 Best Kidnapping Movies of All Time
- 1James Caan, Kathy Bates, Frances Sternhagen
Kathy Bates delivers a memorable performance as Annie Wilkes, a crazed fan who abducts her favorite author, Paul Sheldon (James Caan), after he is injured in a car accident. As Paul struggles to escape from Annie’s clutches, he realizes he is fighting for his life.
- 2Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
Liam Neeson stars in this intense thriller about a former CIA agent who must use his unique set of skills to rescue his abducted daughter from a sex trafficking ring in Paris. With a heart-pumping plot, expertly choreographed action scenes, and a standout performance from Neeson, Taken has become a classic in the kidnapping movie genre.
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- 3Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken
In this action-packed thriller, Denzel Washington stars as John Creasy, a former CIA agent who is hired to protect a young girl named Pita (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City. When Pita is abducted, Creasy sets out to take revenge on those responsible, using all of his skills and resources to get her back.
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- 4Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis
Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal star in this intense thriller about a father who takes matters into his own hands after his daughter and her friend are abducted. As he searches for answers and becomes increasingly desperate, he must navigate a web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth.
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- 5Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes
Based on the novel by James Patterson, this psychological thriller stars Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross, a detective who is called in to help solve a string of abductions of young women. When his niece is also taken, Cross must race against time to track down the killer and bring him to justice.
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- 6Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott
In this crime thriller, Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Alex Cross, who teams up with a Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) to track down a kidnapper who has abducted the daughter of a U.S. senator. As they follow the clues, they realize that nothing is as it seems.
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- 7Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise
Mel Gibson stars as Tom Mullen, a wealthy businessman whose son is kidnapped for ransom. As Mullen works with the FBI to negotiate his son’s release, he takes matters into his own hands and decides to turn the tables on the kidnappers.
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- 8John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher
In this sci-fi thriller, Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays a woman who wakes up in an underground bunker after a car accident, only to discover that she has been abducted by a man (John Goodman) who claims that a chemical attack has destroyed the outside world. As she tries to escape, she realizes that the situation is far more complicated than she ever imagined.
- 9Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn
Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee who is tasked with interviewing the infamous cannibalistic serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), to help catch a new killer who is abducting and murdering young women. As she delves deeper into the case, she realizes that she is in a race against time to stop the killer before he strikes again.
- 10Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman
This crime drama stars Casey Affleck as a private detective who is hired to investigate the disappearance of a young girl from a troubled family in Boston. As he delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of corruption and deceit that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear.
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- 11Scott Glenn, Jade Malle, Joe Pesci
Man on Fire is a gripping thriller where Scott Glenn delivers an intense performance as an ex-CIA agent wrapped in a chilling tale of abduction. The film masterfully weaves suspense and emotional depth, making it a standout portrayal of the desperate and unforgiving world of kidnapping.
- 12Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen
A woman and her son are held captive in a small room by a man who abducted her when she was a teenager. The mother and son must use their wits and bravery to escape from their captor and navigate the unfamiliar world outside.
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- 13Michael Douglas, Sean Bean, Brittany Murphy
Michael Douglas stars as a psychiatrist whose daughter is abducted by a gang of thieves who are after a valuable jewel. As he tries to save his daughter, he is forced to confront his own troubled past and the secrets that he has been keeping from his family.
- 14Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane
A couple who recently lost their child are sailing across the ocean to cope with their grief when they come across a sinking ship with a lone survivor. As they attempt to rescue him, they realize that he may not be who he seems and that their lives may be in danger.
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- 15Sally Field, Alfred Molina, Sheila Rosenthal
Sally Field stars in this heart-wrenching drama based on the true story of an American woman who is abducted by her husband and taken to Iran with their daughter. As she struggles to protect herself and her child from her increasingly violent and oppressive husband, she must also find a way to escape the country and return to her home in America.
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- 16David Hyde Pierce, Helen Reddy, Nathaniel Parker
A criminal on the run from the police cons his way into the home of a seemingly ordinary man by pretending to be a guest for a dinner party. However, he soon realizes that his host is not who he seems, and that he may be in over his head.
- 17Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe
Directed by Neil Jordan, Greta is a psychological thriller that follows the story of Frances (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young woman who finds a lost handbag on a subway and returns it to its owner, an eccentric widow named Greta (Isabelle Huppert). Frances soon discovers that Greta's behavior is becoming increasingly obsessive and dangerous, leading to a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse as Frances tries to escape the woman's clutches.
- 18Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchett, Evan Rachel Wood
Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett star in this gripping western about a father's desperate search for his kidnapped daughter in the American frontier. As he enlists the help of a local Apache tracker, he must confront his own past and face the brutal reality of life on the frontier.
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- 19James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley
James McAvoy delivers a tour-de-force performance in this chilling psychological thriller about a man with multiple personalities who abducts three teenage girls. As his captives try to figure out how to escape, they must also navigate the shifting identities and dangerous intentions of their captor.
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- 20Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Geraldine Chaplin
This Spanish horror movie follows Laura, who returns to the orphanage where she grew up with her husband and son. However, when her son goes missing, Laura must confront the dark secrets of the orphanage and the supernatural forces at play. With stunning visuals and an emotionally charged storyline, The Orphanage is a haunting and unforgettable horror movie.
- 21Patrick Wilson, Elliot Page, Sandra Oh
This psychological thriller follows 14-year-old Hayley, who meets up with 32-year-old photographer Jeff in person after chatting with him online. However, their meeting takes a dark turn when Hayley accuses Jeff of being a sexual predator and seeks revenge. With intense performances from Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson, Hard Candy is a disturbing and thought-provoking look at online predator behavior.
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- 22Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham
This fast-paced thriller follows a man who receives a desperate phone call from a woman who has been abducted and is in imminent danger. With no time to spare, he must race against the clock to track down the kidnappers and save the woman's life.
- 23Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan
Kurt Russell stars in this tense thriller about a man whose wife disappears during a cross-country road trip. As he uncovers a web of lies and deceit that has led to her abduction, he must also confront the dangerous consequences of getting involved in something he doesn't fully understand.
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- 24Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
Liam Neeson returns in this sequel to the hit action thriller, where he must once again use his lethal skills to rescue his family from a group of dangerous kidnappers. As the stakes get higher and the danger grows more intense, Neeson's character must do whatever it takes to protect those he loves.
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- 25Jason Statham, Robert John Burke, Chris Sarandon
A former cage fighter takes matters into his own hands when his young daughter is abducted by the Chinese mafia. He must use his fighting skills and knowledge of the city's underground to rescue his daughter and bring the kidnappers to justice.
- 26Michelle Pfeiffer, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg
Michelle Pfeiffer stars in this emotional drama about a mother who must come to terms with the kidnapping of her young son. As she struggles to keep her family together and find her missing child, she also must confront her own grief and trauma.
- 27Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Oliver Stone's gritty crime thriller follows two pot growers who must rescue their shared girlfriend from a Mexican drug cartel that has abducted her. As they use their cunning and skills to outsmart the dangerous cartel, they also must confront their own complicated feelings for each other and for their captive girlfriend.
More Savages - 28Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in this classic action movie about a retired special forces operative who must come out of retirement to rescue his daughter from a group of ruthless kidnappers. As he takes on the kidnappers with all his might, he also must contend with the dangerous consequences of his past actions.
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- 29Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy
A car salesman hatches a plan to have his wife kidnapped and extort money from her wealthy father. However, things quickly spiral out of control as the criminals he hired are not as competent as he thought, and the police become involved.
- 30Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace
When his ex-wife is murdered and he is framed for the crime, ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills goes on the run to clear his name and protect his daughter from the real killer. Mills uses his special set of skills to outsmart the police and the real culprits to uncover the truth.
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