Jonathan Jakubowicz directed this suspenseful thrill ride that was originally released in theaters in 2005, and was shown at a viewing at Hodges library on Nov. 1.  The film follows the kidnapping of a young wealthy couple, Carla (Mia Maestro) and Martin (Jean Paul Leroux), as their captors tear through the city of Caracas, Venezuela for one terrifying night of trust, betrayal and corruption.

This rather low-budget film takes viewers on a raw and incredible journey while delving into many of the problems plaguing Latin American nations.  While the film is low budget the acting is exactly what it needed to be, with mostly Latin American rappers playing the parts of the kidnappers who provide a few breaks in the suspense with comedy black as night.  Mia Maestro gives a great performance as Carla, playing a very believable victim while also developing her character throughout the story.

The main focus of this film is the vast divergence between the wealthy and poor in Venezuela. This is shown through the lives of the kidnappers when Jakubowicz actually explores their lives and families, showing the situations that force them into the position to commit crime, which is something classical cinema rarely does.

The tension between the rich couple and their captors is displayed very well throughout the film, such as when one of the kidnappers makes this remark to Carla, "Nice dress in a starving city."  As the film goes on and tension evolves into trust, the story and its meanings only increase in complexity. While the main focus of this film is the class war between rich and poor, it also shows the desperation of extreme poverty and how it leads to the poor (and in this case, kidnap victims) fighting each other for survival in a culture where surviving is a day to day battle.

"Secuestro Express" is not a film that will disappoint.  One minute you will be gripping the edge of your seat and the next you could either be chuckling at an incredibly dark joke or be in tears over the condition of a society and its people.  It will bring you into a world where cops and criminals are one in the same, and where drugs run rampant through a society where both sides are fighting for their lives.