You may get an interesting outcome if you allow yourself to analyze the psychological condition of a refugee who pursues an opportunity for better life in another country. For that, they have to cross the border inside their mind where the battle between fear, uncertainty and courage is predominant. But once that particular person crosses the actual border, for instance, the border of the United States from Mexico, he finds that now he has a much worse problem than he had before.

Firstly, he becomes the hostage of his own dream; secondly, the hostage of greedy and extremely dangerous people who keep refugees in a “drop house”; thirdly, and the last, if he wants to be able to pay ransom for the freedom he so wished for, he will lose the only thing he always hanged on – his life. But when the opening credit states that in Arizona’s Phoenix, which had been dubbed the kidnap capital of America, and the events you see are based on a true story, you will most likely find yourself grateful for not having a kind of life that is capable to break even an unbreakable person.

Elena, Manolo’s wife, is pregnant. They lived in a part of Mexico where both of them had to fear for their own safety on a daily basis. In order to secure the future of their unborn child, they agree to leave everything behind for the life in the United States. However, before that is to happen, they have to overcome one of the most difficult situations, where both of them were kidnapped by a group of refugee kidnappers, Wyler and Smokey, who are willing to kill anyone if illegal migrants fail to pay the requested money, which is $2,800.

The most tragic part of the story told in the film is that all Mexican refugees were held in the house surrounded in a very “friendly” and “friendly” neighborhood, where one of the neighbors kindly invites Wyler and his wife, Kay to their upcoming Friday night party. As it usually happens in real life, every house has something unique going on; some celebrate birthday or special events, while the others, like Wyler makes his money by operating a “drop house”.

“Kidnap Capital” written and directed by Felipe Rodriguez is a powerful drama about illegal migrants who left everything behind for a real life and the threat they faced in the United States. It clearly shows that, “drop houses” have become one of the highest income businesses in Phoenix. It also boldly emphasises how illegal migrants can be treated if they end up in a very unkind and brutally dangerous hands. But again, that is not always the case. It also happens that, there is always warm-hearted people around to help, even the government, if it becomes necessary. But unfortunately, that’s not what “Kidnap Capital” is about….