It seems that this nonlinear thriller is now getting a second life on Netflix. Despite a powerhouse cast and beautiful, snow-capped cinematography, a poor performance in theaters earned the film only $2 million when it first dropped in theaters 12 years ago. But viewers are now flocking to check it out, catapulting it to the #8 spot on Netflix’s Top 10 Most Watched list in the few days since it was added to the platform.
The Captive stars Ryan Reynolds, Rosario Dawson, and Scott Speedman, and debuted in theaters back in 2014. The film centers around a couple whose daughter was kidnapped 8 years prior. Since then, their relationship has crumbled, leaving them estranged. The girl’s father, who for a time was the main suspect in her disappearance, has become a vigilante in his search for her, refusing to believe the theory that she’s dead. But now, almost a decade after Cassandra initially disappeared, clues have started to emerge that she is, in fact, alive.
Despite a debut at Cannes, The Captive seemed unable to do the dark nature of its plot justice, almost seemingly trivializing the child abuse that pushed its narrative forward, or, at least, not treating it with the gravitas it deserved. It was also structured around a nonlinear timeline, jumping through winters during the time Cassandra had been missing, leading to a confusing chain of events. “The film has the plot of an intensely lurid thriller, but Atom Egoyan can’t bring himself to face that and actively tend to the story; instead, he trades in barely coherent, high-brow euphemisms,” says critic Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine.
Audiences were equally unimpressed with the film at the time, rating it a 32% on Rotten Tomatoes. One viewer, who rated The Captive 2.5 out of 5 stars, said, “Could have been a great movie given the cast, but it fell short with all the time lapses, plot twists. Many missed opportunities when it comes to exploring the trauma of being ‘the captive’ as well as clarifying the elaborate pedophile ring.”
While falling prey to taking some elements of itself way too seriously, and others not seriously enough, it seems that The Captive is finally taking a breath of fresh air now that it’s hit streaming, finding a second chance with a new crop of viewers.
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