Holding an individual against their will is unacceptable in any society and is punishable by law, however, this doesn’t stop individuals from engaging in it. People often kidnap individuals to obtain ransom in exchange for the person’s release. In the U.S. alone, 800,000 children reportedly go missing annually. Turkey has the highest kidnapping rate worldwide at 42.669 kidnapping cases per 100,000 residents.
Being kidnapped is a terrifying experience and can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. However, in the movie industry, the inclusion of kidnapping elements into movies incites a thrilling feel in the viewers and therefore keeps them invested. Over the years, a few films have been able to master implementing this element into action movies, such as the Taken franchise, and Extraction among others. One thing these movies have in common is the presence of a male hero who eventually saves the day. Let’s take a look at some kidnapping movies where a female hero actually saves the day.
Kidnap
First on our list is the 2017 action-thriller film, Kidnap. The movie’s release was delayed several times but was finally released in August 2017 with its premiere at the ArcLight Hollywood multiplex on July 31, 2017. The movie follows a single mother Karla Dyson whose son is kidnapped at a carnival and against the odds pursues her son’s captors and rescues him and in the process exposes an international child abduction ring.
Popular American actress Halle Berry takes on the lead role, the other cast members include Sage Correa, Chris McGinn, and Lew Temple. The movie underperformed at the box office with a gross of over $30 million against a $21 million budget. Berry was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture at the 49th NAACP Image Awards. In 2018, Kidnap was awarded The ReFrame Stamp for its representation of women.
Greta
Greta is another notable kidnapping movie with a female hero. The 2018 psychological thriller film that follows a young woman as she befriends a lonely widow who becomes disturbingly obsessed with her and eventually drugs and kidnaps her. The film stars Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Colm Feore and Stephen Rea. Greta earned an average rating of 5.7/10 on Rotten Tomatoes. Greta grossed over $18 million at the box office.
The Call
The Call is a psychological crime thriller film directed by well-known thriller and horror film director, Brad Anderson. The film was released in theatres on March 15, 2013. Although the movie was originally envisioned as a television series scriptwriter, Richard D’Ovidio decided to later rewrite it as a film. The movie featured an ensemble cast including Abigail Breslin, Halle Berry, Morris Chestnut, Michael Eklund, Michael Imperioli, and David Otunga. The movie tells the story of Jordan Turner, a 911 operator who is emotionally affected after a botched 9-1-1 call and decides she can no longer handle field calls. Turner eventually starts training 9-1-1 operators six months later when a teenager, Casey Welson, is kidnapped by a mysterious serial killer and uses a disposable phone to call 9-1-1, Turner uses her experience, insights and quick thinking to try to help Casey escape. Jordan eventually comes to Casey’s rescue.
Although the movie received mixed reviews from critics Berry and Breslin were praised for their performances. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an average rating of 5.2/10. Berry was nominated for Choice Movie Actress in a Drama at the Teen Choice Awards and Best Actress at the BET Awards while Eklund won Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Motion Picture at the Leo Awards. The Call was a commercial success, grossing over $68 million against a budget of $13 million.
Breaking In
Breaking In is an action thriller film that follows a mother Shaun Russell who travels with her two children to the house where she grew up and intends to settle her father’s estate and sell the remotely located. Things go south when the house is invaded by four criminals who come to take a sum of $4 million they know is inside Shaun’s father’s safe. The burglars take Shaun’s children hostage, eventually, Shaun saves the day and kills one of the criminals telling him he broke into the wrong house.
The movie was co-produced by Gabrielle Union, who also takes the lead role of Shaun Russell. Breaking In was a commercial success grossing over $50 million against a $12 million budget. The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising Union’s performance but describing the film as having “thinly sketched characters and a slapdash plot.”
Miss Bala
Next up on our list of kidnapping movies with female heroes is Miss Bala, is an action thriller based on the 2011 Mexican film of the same name. The 2019 film stars Gina Rodriguez, Ismael Cruz Córdova, and Anthony Mackie. Miss Bala follows a Latin-American makeup artist from Los Angeles who trains to take down a Mexican drug cartel after her friend is kidnapped. The film was a box office flop, grossing $15.4 million worldwide against a $15 million production budget.
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