Captivity

Village Voice Luke Y. Thompson

Roland Joffé creates a visually interesting and aurally unsettling vibe, and the story from B-movie maestro Larry Cohen keeps it simple.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Quite possibly the final word on a much-maligned genre.

Variety Joe Leydon

Destined to be better remembered for its grisly billboard imagery than for its relatively tame torture-porn tropes, Captivity is a thoroughly nasty piece of work that nonetheless earns credit for generating modest suspense after a predictable but effective plot twist around the 50-minute mark.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Roland Joffé brings an artful video-grunge look, and not much else, to this "Saw" clone.

Empire Kim Newman

Torture junkies should remember it’s only four months to Saw IV -- so you can afford to avoid Captivity.

Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall

It's not scary because not one second is believable.

Film Threat Felix Vasques Jr.

A terrible rehash of better torture genre exploitation, with none of the charm.

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

The movie has been thoroughly eclipsed by "Captivity" the marketing.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

In a genre where killers love to play head games, it's a clever idea (Cohen's?) to have this one remain mute, but that leaves Cuthbert to carry much of the psychological load, and there's no substance to her character, apart from the suggestion that she's being punished for her vanity.

Premiere Glenn Kenny

Thoroughly irritating little film.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

A wan, derivative entry in the torture-porn cycle.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jason Anderson

A lurid thriller that marks a new career low for both director Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields, The Mission) and co-screenwriter Larry Cohen (Phone Booth, It's Alive).

New York Post Rocco Landesman

Captivity is torture porn without the sex. Cuthbert squirms, screams, weeps and pleads for her life with great conviction. Slick, sick sleaze.

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

The end result doesn't even satisfy on its own sleazy terms. Not only does it lack the satirical nihilism of the "Hostel" films or the admittedly clever torture machinations of the "Saw" series, it doesn't even provide its target young male audience with the requisite nudity.

Los Angeles Times Robert Abele

It's the movie business equivalent of encountering someone you once knew begging for money on the street.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

If there is another challenger for worst entry of 2007, I don't want to see it.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Captivity is the kind of film that gives torture porn a bad name.