INESCAPABLE is a TAKEN-style thriller set in Syria just before that country descended into the war which is still on-going. It's a rather cheap and uninteresting production that fails to ignite the screen, despite the best intentions of writer and director Ruba Nadda. There aren't really many films around in which are set in Syria, so that's a selling point in itself, but it's just a shame the story is so clichéd.

The film features Alexander Siddig (best known for his brief recent turn in GAME OF THRONES) as a father living in the west who discovers that his daughter has gone missing in Syria. He goes over there and soon begins kicking backside, uncovering the usual conspiracy of silence, working his way through various thugs and goons and corrupt officials in a bid to rescue her.

The film is shot in a standard way and it's a pity that the action scenes are so routinely unexciting, filmed by a director who has no understanding of what looks good on screen. The film is in a tight spot really as it wants to be dark and gritty and yet has a family friendly rating at the same time, and that can be tough to pull off (Greengrass and Nolan are two of the few directors who know how to achieve the balance). Siddig isn't bad but his character is very dull and Joshua Jackson is badly miscast in support. INESCAPABLE isn't the sort of film you'll remember long after watching.

Adib Abdel Kareem (Alexander Siddig) lives a comfortable life in Toronto under an alternate identity. He has two daughters but has told them nothing about his past in Syria. He was a military intelligence officer but left under mysterious circumstances 20 years ago. His oldest daughter Muna has disappeared after going to Damascus behind his back. He sneaks back into the country with the help of ex-fiancée Fatima (Marisa Tomei). He talks to Canadian Embassy officer Paul Ridge (Joshua Jackson) and former fellow workmate Sayid (Oded Fehr) as he navigates the dangerous police state.

This movie seems to be caught between a realistic movie and a Bourne-like thriller. It fails as either and it struggles to be better. It's great to have Siddig as the lead. The problem is that I can't believe his character wouldn't be snatched up by any one of the random secret police agents. His supposed crime is too big to ignore. The daughter is too naive. It would have been more logical if she's researching in Turkey and gets kidnapped into Syria. Also having Tomei as an Arab does raise an eyebrow. A lot of little things limit the believability. It doesn't work as an action thriller either. It is terribly flat and has low intensity despite the exotic setting. The few action sequences seem weak and out of place. I would like a realistic take on the 2012 police-state Syria. I can't buy it here.

Inescapable is a low budget generic action thriller with a Taken vibe. It is set in a Syria before they had civil turmoil with the Assad regime.

Alexander Siddig is Adib Abdel Kareem a man who fled Syria some years earlier as he was accused of being an Israeli spy. He has made a new life for himself in Canada.

He receives news that his daughter Muna (Jay Anstey) has gone missing in Damascus and must return to Damascus many years later to confront his past.

Adib enlists the help of an his ex-fiancée Fatima (Marisa Tomei) to help him while he is in Syria. He gets help from the Canadian embassy Paul (Joshua Jackson) and tracks down old associates and rivals such as Sayid (Oded Fehr.)

The unusual setting of Syria which is reality a police state gives the film some intrigue as you always have the sense of being watched and betrayal not being far behind.

The plot however does feel like Taken without much of the action and violence. Siddig is very effective in a meaty role but not a lot happens as he looks for clues to track down his daughter and stay one step ahead of his pursuers and double crossers. Its tense and watchable enough, Marisa Tomei lends it a lot of credibility but I felt it should had been a lot better.