A sociopathic kidnapper methodically pushes a desperate pair of parents to their absolute breaking point in this thriller starring Piece Brosnan, Gerard Butler, and Maria Bello. Life has been good to happily married Chicago couple Neil (Butler) and Abby (Bello); their flames in their relationship are still burning bright, Neil has a great job, and with the birth of their beautiful daughter Sophie the loving couple has grown into a budding family. So much can change in an instant though, and the moment that sadistic kidnapper Ryan (Brosnan) appears the fibers of this happy family are torn violently apart. Ryan knows everything there is to know about Neil, Abby, and Sophie, and now he's ready to use that information to put the two parents through the most excruciating experience of their entire lives. Should Neil and Abby not comply with Ryan's every demand over the course of the next twenty-four hours, he will kill young Sophie without a second thought. While at first the demands seem typical of your average kidnapper, they gradually begin to grow increasingly outlandish until it becomes obvious that Ryan doesn't want money, but simply enjoys the power that comes along with systematically dismantling their idyllic lives until there's nothing left for Neil and Abby to live for. Now left with nothing to lose, the monstrous Ryan finds out just how far a parent is willing to go in order to save their child when he commands Neil to commit one final act of annihilation that goes against everything the loving father and husband stands for.
~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide