Watch Duress
- TV-MA
- 2009
- 1 hr 18 min
-
5.5 (1,108)
Duress is a suspenseful thriller film from 2009 that stars Martin Donovan, Gina Gallego, and Sakis Rouvas. The movie follows Tom, an unstable ex-employee of a pharmaceutical company who kidnaps the CEO's daughter, Abby, and uses her as leverage to get his job back. As their hostage situation unfolds, Abby and Tom both reveal secrets from their past, exposing their vulnerabilities and the reasons that led them to their current situation.
The film begins with Tom, an experienced pharmaceutical researcher, being fired from his job due to a disagreement with his superiors regarding the ethics of their research practices. After he is fired, Tom begins to spiral into a deep depression and becomes obsessed with the pharmaceutical company's CEO, who he sees as responsible for his unemployment. In an attempt to get revenge and reclaim his position, Tom devises a plan to kidnap the CEO's daughter, Abby, and hold her for ransom.
Once Tom has Abby in his custody, he takes her to a remote cabin in the woods, which he has set up as their temporary hideout. At first, Abby is terrified and confused, but she soon realizes that Tom is not going to harm her physically. Instead, he tries to convince her to help him with his plan by contacting her father and asking him to give Tom his job back.
As the movie progresses, Abby begins to understand Tom's reasons for his actions and sympathizes with his situation. Tom, in turn, also reveals his personal struggles and concerns to Abby, making her see him as a vulnerable person rather than a dangerous kidnapper. This creates a bond between the two, and they start to open up to each other regarding their past experiences and traumas.
Meanwhile, the CEO and the police are working tirelessly to locate Abby and bring her safely back home. However, as time passes, they begin to realize that Tom is more prepared and organized than they initially thought. Tom has set up an intricate network of traps and obstacles to thwart the police's efforts, and he even manages to hack into the CEO's personal computer to gather sensitive information.
As the tension between Tom and the authorities grows, Abby and Tom's relationship also evolves, and they both start to wonder whether they will ever leave the cabin alive. Furthermore, as they delve deeper into each other's secrets and motivations, they realize that there may be a possibility of a way out that will satisfy everyone's needs.
Overall, Duress is a well-crafted thriller that keeps its viewers on edge until the end. It explores themes of revenge, desperation, and redemption, while also portraying a unique bond between two people who are initially forced into a dangerous situation. The performances of the lead actors, Martin Donovan and Gina Gallego, are commendable, and their chemistry delivers an intimate and powerful performance. The film's atmosphere is also captivating, with the remote cabin setting adding to the suspense, as well as Tom's elaborate traps and hacks.
Duress is a 2009 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 18 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.5.