Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Secuestro Express’?

Secuestro Express (2004)

tomatometer

52

Average Rating: 5.7/10
Reviews Counted: 42
Fresh: 22 | Rotten: 20

Despite utilizing a visual whirlwind of cinematic tricks, this socio-political thriller falls short of fulfilling its heavier goals but provides a powerful peek into the class issues of modern Venezuela.

62

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 13
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 5

Despite utilizing a visual whirlwind of cinematic tricks, this socio-political thriller falls short of fulfilling its heavier goals but provides a powerful peek into the class issues of modern Venezuela.

audience

73

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 12,350

My Rating

Movie Info

The current wave of kidnappings in Latin America inspired this tense suspense drama. Martin (Jean Paul Leroux) and Carla (Mía Maestro) are a wealthy young couple who, after a night of club hopping, head back to their car to go home. However, three kidnappers -- Bubu (Pedro Perez), Niga (Carlos Madera), and Trece (Carlos Julio Molina) -- are waiting for them; seeing how free they are with their money, the men figure that Martin and Carla should fetch a decent ransom for their release. The

Jan 3, 2006

$0.2M

Miramax

Cast

All Critics (48) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (21) | DVD (8)

A well-intentioned copy but one that holds much promise for its first-time director.

September 15, 2005 Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | Comment
Arizona Republic
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Secuestro Express seems less interested in dramatizing the crushing inequities of that nation than in serving up hefty doses of sadism and titillation.

August 5, 2005 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comment
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Part exploitation thriller and part sociopolitical statement, Secuestro Express is a little too enamored of its own gangsta cool to be taken seriously.

August 5, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Daily News | Comment
New York Daily News
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Jakubowicz pleases the eyes with closeups, sped-up scenes, hand-held camerawork and other stylized tricks.

August 5, 2005 Comment
New York Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Jakubowicz will undoubtedly become a filmmaker to follow, as soon as he understands what he wants to say -- not just how loud he wants to say it.

August 5, 2005 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | Comment
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Jakubowicz is a whiz at setting up an exceedingly tense predicament and then building upon it a nearly unbearable suspense with ingenuity and insight.

August 4, 2005 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | Comment
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

from its opening 'shot', Secuestro Express takes its captive audience at gunpoint on a heart-pounding tour of crime, corruption and class war in downtown Caracas.

June 15, 2007 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

From beginning to end, Secuestro Express proves an obnoxious mess determinedly employing the kidnapping conceit it laments to stimulate popcorn movie sentiments.

August 19, 2006 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | Comment
Urban Cinefile

Impeccably directed, tightly-wound and extremely tense thriller with some neat twists and a healthy dose of social commentary thrown in for good measure.

June 8, 2006 Full Review Source: ViewLondon | Comment
ViewLondon

More than it deserves, the DVD has two director commentaries (one subtitled with the actors), deleted scenes, a couple of featurettes, and a hip-hop video of the thug trio in their real-life role as rappers.

March 18, 2006 Full Review Source: Premiere Magazine | Comment
Premiere Magazine

This film gives one vision of what anarchy is like, on a small scale, at least.

February 25, 2006 Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | Comment
Laramie Movie Scope

From a filmmaking angle, it's a movie to be studied, but from a writing angle, it could have been so much better.

February 5, 2006 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | Comment
7M Pictures

Make sure to wear a condom if you plan on getting anywhere near this film.

December 31, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

As a kidnap thriller, Secuestro Express is a complete bore, but what's worse is that it occasionally seems to imagine it's making a point.

December 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | Comment (1)
Filmcritic.com

An unpleasant watch that showed how sleazy films can get in trying to imitate reality and Tarantino.

December 1, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | Comment
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Secuestro Express

A very realistic feel of a story of a kidnapping. Impressive actiing all round, in particular Mia Maestro. The kidnapping gang are played by members of one of South America's most popular rap groups 'Vagos Y Maleantes' Gritty and action packed, this film will hold you from start to finish.

September 20, 2006
76Majikat

Super Reviewer

It's a dog-eat-dog world in Venezuela. A story that follows the trials of a group kidnappers as well as their kidnappees, with a nice dose of humour and social commentary.

July 10, 2007
RossCollinsUK

Super Reviewer

Secuestro Express Quotes

No quotes approved yet for Secuestro Express. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Latest News for Secuestro Express

What's Hot On RT

Critics Consensus
Critics Consensus

Journey 2 Not Worth the Trip

Luis Guzman
Luis Guzman

What are his 10 best movies ever?

<em>Amazing Spider-Man</em>
Amazing Spider-Man

See the all-new action-packed trailer!

The Avengers!
The Avengers!

Five new Marvelous pictures

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,565 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,432 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,152 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,649 taken
created 15 months ago
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile