The Disappearance of Alice Creed

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The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a 2009 British thriller film directed by J Blakeson starring Gemma Arterton, Martin Compston, and Eddie Marsan.

Two men, Danny and Vic, kidnap resident rich girl Alice Creed and hold her up for a $2 million ransom to be paid by her wealthy father. They keep her Bound and Gagged and Chained to a Bed in a soundproof room, making sure to keep her fed, hydrated, and alive to ensure that her father gives them the money. Although Vic is a calm and seasoned professional, this is Danny’s first involvement in a kidnapping, and his doubts and hesitation may threaten their chances of success.

Tropes used in The Disappearance of Alice Creed include:
  • Banging for Help: Alice occasionally screams for help while gagged, but for the most part, this is futile since the room where she is being kept was soundproofed by the kidnappers.
  • Bound and Gagged: Alice throughout most of the film.
  • Bury Your Gays: In a sense, since Vic and Danny are dead at the end of the film.
  • Chained to a Bed: Alice, Bound and Gagged to boot. Later on, Danny as well, when Alice tricks him and tries to escape.
  • The Dog Bites Back: After verbal abuse, constant orders, and being shot twice and left for dead by Vic, Danny turns on Vic by killing him and taking the money in the final act.
  • Eat the Evidence: Happens when Danny is trying to get rid of the shell casing from the shot Alice fired so that Vic doesn't know she got a hold of his gun. This ends up with a Vomit Indiscretion Shot and the item reappearing, forcing Danny to eat it yet again.
  • Hostage Video: The kidnappers make one of these to prove to Alice's father that she is alive and to have her reinforce that they will kill her if her father does not pay.
  • I Have a Family: Subverted. Alice attempts to invoke this by telling the kidnappers she has a daughter. Unfortunately for her, they’ve done their research and know she’s lying.
  • Left for Dead: Vic shoots Danny and leaves him for dead in the middle of a forest after learning about Danny's plan to doublecross him. Unfortunately for Vic, Danny is Not Quite Dead, and is able to make it back to the warehouse in time to shoot and kill Vic.
  • Minimalism: You meet the entire cast—a grand total of three people—in the first ten minutes or so, and the movie has maybe three or four different sets.
  • Minimalist Cast: Two kidnappers. One girl.
  • Potty Emergency: The kidnappers give Alice a signal so that they know when she needs to go to the bathroom.
  • Punch a Wall: Happens when Vic realizes Danny intended to doublecross him by killing him and running off with Alice and the money.
  • Reckless Sidekick: Danny seems like this in comparison to Vic. At first he reluctantly follows Vic's orders despite Vic having more experience and acting in the best interests of cleanly getting away with the crime. On top of that, he seems to become attracted to the hostage. Later, he’s stupid enough to leave his back turned after untying Alice, allowing her to grab his gun. When it’s revealed that Danny knew Alice before the kidnapping, he unties her in order to have sex with her, allowing her to trick him and handcuff him to the bed while she runs out of the room to call the police.
  • The Reveal: A few notable ones include:
    • Alice knowing Danny beforehand.
    • Danny's plan to doublecross Vic, take the money, and run off with Alice.
    • Danny and Vic are lovers, which is how Danny ensures that he can trust Vic enough to pick up the money alone.
  • The Reveal Prompts Romance: Subverted. When Danny takes off his mask to show Alice who he is, he expects her to become comfortable with him. When he unties Alice to have sex with her, she manages to cuff him to the bed, and says that if he really cared about her, he never would have orchestrated her kidnapping in the first place.
  • Shameful Strip: Happens to Alice when she is first brought to the room and tied to the bed.
  • We Do Not Know Each Other: One-sided at first, then later on by both parties. Danny does not let Alice know he is one of the kidnappers because he believes that Alice would not be able to fake fear if she knew about his plan. Later after the first reveal, Alice and Danny need to make sure that Vic is unaware that they knew each other before the kidnapping in order to doublecross him.
  • Would Hit a Girl: Both men in the film. Apart from the violence seen in her kidnapping, both Danny and Vic end up kicking Alice, choking her, or punching her at different points in the film.
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