The Captive (2014)

The story

In Niagara Falls, Ontario, homicide detective Jeffrey Cornwall interviews for a job with Nicole Dunlop in the Internet Child Exploitation Unit. While Nicole advises him on the grim nature of the work, local contractor Matthew Lane discovers his 9-year-old daughter, Cassandra, has vanished from his truck. Jeffrey and Nicole are assigned to the case but remain skeptical of Matthew's story, causing deep friction. Eight years later, the parents remain estranged and the search continues as Matthew becomes a vigilante, while Nicole and Jeffrey have become romantically involved.

Original title

Captives or La Captive

First release year

2014

Runtime (minutes)

112

Production countries

Canada

Original languages

English

Directors

Atom Egoyan

Writers

Atom Egoyan · writer; David Fraser · writer

Cast and characters

Ryan Reynolds; Bruce Greenwood; Scott Speedman; Rosario Dawson; Mireille Enos; Kevin Durand; Alexia Fast

Genres

thriller

Themes

child abduction; erosion of family bonds; social media effects; voyeurism; guilt; redemption

Tone and mood

wintry; pensive; atmospheric; tension and dread

Premise and plot tags

psychological thriller; crime; road movie; chase film

Reception

The film received generally unfavorable reviews, with critics describing it as 'wan and lugubrious' and a 'misfire.' However, it gained significant viewership on Netflix in 2026 due to contemporary interest in child trafficking.

Reported review scores

Rotten Tomatoes · score: 28% · review count: 53; Metacritic · score: 36 · scale: 100 · review count: 20

Awards and nominations

Palme d'Or · main competition · 2014 · nomination

Production trivia

The film was originally titled 'The Queen of the Night'.; The film was inspired by missing children posters in Victoria, British Columbia, and a pedophile ring in Cornwall, Ontario.

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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