A high-stakes heist thriller that vanished from theaters almost as quickly as it arrived
In short: In the 2012 action film Stolen, a former thief is forced back into the criminal underworld to rescue his kidnapped daughter. With only 12 hours to produce $10 million he claims to have destroyed years earlier, the protagonist faces a desperate race against time and a vengeful former partner.
Directed by Simon West and starring Nicolas Cage, Stolen follows Will Montgomery, a master thief who returns to New Orleans after serving an eight-year prison sentence. Upon his release, he discovers his daughter, Alison, has been abducted by his former accomplice, Vincent. Vincent, who was previously presumed dead after a DNA-identified body was found, demands the $10 million loot from their final heist. Montgomery insists he burned the money before his initial arrest, but he must navigate FBI surveillance and his own past to save his child.
The film's development path was complex, originating from a 2004 script by David Guggenheim titled Medallion. By May 2010, Clive Owen was attached to star, with production planned for New York and Toronto. However, by December 2010, the project shifted significantly; Nicolas Cage signed on as the lead, and Nu Image/Millennium Films joined as financiers. Production eventually commenced in March 2012, relocating the setting to New Orleans.
Despite the pedigree of its star and director, the film struggled significantly upon its September 14, 2012, release in the United States. It was widely considered a box office bomb, grossing just over $300,000 domestically before being pulled from theaters after only two weeks. Critical reception was similarly tepid, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting an 18% approval rating based on 22 reviews. While the film eventually reached a worldwide gross of approximately $17.9 million, it remains a notable example of a high-profile production that failed to capture the commercial or critical success its creators initially anticipated.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Stolen (2012 film)
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