Whenever I hear the name Nicolas Cage, I find myself thinking of astonishing action and adventure flicks. Films that star a bodacious tough guy who epically destroys all of his enemies, while plenty of explosions soar in the background. All of this commotion is sprinkled on top of a short storyline. That is exactly what the movie “Stolen” is. For most of the movie I was nervously sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails. All I can say is that Nicolas Cage has done it again! The actors couldn't have been more fitting for their role, the story is short but meaningful, and every action scene was so exaggerated, that they were perfect.
Besides Nicolas Cage (Will Montgomery), the main cast consisted of Josh Lucas (Vincent), Milin Akerman (Riley Jeffers) and Sami Gayle (Alison Loeb). Each individual could not have been more ideal for their characters. Nicolas Cage, of course, plays the lead “good guy”. His buff and serious figure is flawless for his heroic part. Nicolas is able to show the viewers the tough and concerned sides of his character. Josh Lucas was just as talented in his performance. His character starts out as a loving friend, but over time Josh increases his body language to demonstrate how his character is twisted into some sort of psychopath. Besides Nicolas and Josh, each actor had some trait that I thought supported the film.

Although not very dominant, I thought the plot was acceptable. The overflow of action and suspense frequently canceled out what was actually happening. The story starts with the main group of four friends who are attempting to rob a bank of 10 million dollars. During the escape there is an argument between Will and Vincent whether or not to kill a witness. Will is completely against the thought of killing an innocent person, and is eventually left behind. Before Will is captured by the police, he burns the money to get rid of the evidence. After 8 years in jail Will returns to his daughter who disapproves of him. As Will is trying to replenish their relationship, Vincent comes back and kidnaps her, and her ransom is the money that Will burnt. The rest of the movie follows Will as he attempts to somehow get 10 million dollars to save his daughter.
Along with the credible actors and storyline, the action scenes are very intense. I felt like every other scene was a car chase, a heist, or an explosion. All of which Nicolas Cage walked away from with nothing more than a scratch. One of the most intense scenes, I thought, was a rapid car chase between Nicolas Cage and the police. Cutting through alleyways and driving against traffic built up the tension, only to end with a tremendous car crash. Another excellent action scene is when Nicolas Cage and Josh Lucas are fighting their last battle. It occurred in an abandoned theme park, the field was lined with flammable gasoline, and Vincent was the only competitor with a weapon.
“Stolen” is a perfect example of a Nicolas Cage film. Not only was it adventurous, yet meaningful. All of the actors contributed greatly, and each of them could not have expressed their characters better. The story was a little dull, but once you understand it, it is very significant. Best of all, the action scenes were endless. Each scene caused the tension to skyrocket, and changed the path of the story. Overall, I thought everything fit together perfectly in the end. “Stolen” falls into the legacy of astonishing action and adventure flicks!