12 Years Later, Ryan Reynolds’ Forgotten Movie That Made $2 Million Is a Success on Netflix

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This suspenseful thriller is finding a new audience on Netflix. Although it featured a strong cast and stunning visuals, it didn’t do well in cinemas when it was released 12 years ago, earning just $2 million. Now, viewers are discovering it on Netflix, and it’s quickly become one of the platform’s most popular movies, currently ranking at number eight.

Released in 2014, The Captive features Ryan Reynolds, Rosario Dawson, and Scott Speedman. The movie tells the story of a couple whose daughter went missing eight years earlier, and whose marriage fell apart as a result. The girl’s father, once a suspect in the case, has spent years searching for her, convinced she’s still alive. Now, after nearly a decade, new evidence suggests Cassandra might actually be alive.

There Are a Few Reasons The Captive Performed Poorly

Despite premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, The Captive didn’t fully capture the seriousness of its difficult subject matter, and arguably downplayed the child abuse at the heart of the story. The film’s non-linear structure, jumping between winters during the missing girl’s disappearance, also made the plot confusing. According to critic Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine, the film has the elements of a shocking thriller, but director Atom Egoyan avoids directly addressing them, instead relying on vague and overly intellectual language.

The movie wasn’t well-received by audiences either, earning a 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One viewer gave it 2.5 out of 5 stars, commenting that despite a talented cast, the film suffered from confusing time jumps and plot twists. They also felt it missed chances to fully explore the emotional impact of being held captive and to clearly explain the details of the criminal network involved.

Despite some initial missteps with tone – sometimes overly dramatic, other times not dramatic enough – the show The Captive seems to be gaining a new audience and finding success now that it’s available on streaming platforms.

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2026-03-21 22:17