Year: 2000
Runtime: 90 mins
Language: English
Director: Mark L. Lester
After learning his daughter was murdered by a serial killer, a convicted bank robber escapes during transport to prison. He teams up with a female detective pursuing the case, only to discover his daughter had recently had an abortion—an act shared by all the victims. Meanwhile, the FBI agent who recaptured him is closing in.
Get a spoiler-free look at Sacrifice (2000) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In a restless European city where academia and underworld shadows intersect, a former bank robber turned social psychologist finds his carefully constructed life shattered. Ben, once respected for his research on group dynamics, now carries the weight of a criminal past that confines him to a bleak future behind bars. His world is abruptly upended when he learns that his teenage daughter, Mazzy, has become the latest victim of a ruthless serial killer, a loss that ignites a desperate, almost primal resolve.
Determined to confront the darkness that stole his child, Ben seizes a fleeting chance to break free during a routine transport to prison. The escape thrusts him into a frantic chase through crowded streets and dimly lit alleys, while the looming presence of an uncompromising FBI agent draws ever closer, ready to recapture him at any moment. The city itself feels like a labyrinth of secrets, each corner echoing with the faint hum of unseen danger.
In the midst of this turmoil, Ben finds an unlikely ally in a seasoned female detective who has been tracking the killer’s pattern. Their partnership is forged on a fragile foundation of mutual necessity, blending Ben’s intimate understanding of manipulation with her procedural tenacity. As they delve deeper, a startling revelation about Mazzy’s recent personal choices emerges, linking her fate to the broader tragedy in an unsettling way. This discovery adds a layer of moral complexity, forcing both to confront questions of responsibility, grief, and the limits of redemption.
The film balances tense, gritty chase sequences with a brooding, psychological undercurrent, painting a portrait of a man caught between his former intellect and violent instinct. Its tone is one of looming dread tempered by fleeting moments of uneasy cooperation, inviting the audience to linger on the thin line between justice and vengeance, and to wonder how far a father will go when everything he loves has been ripped away.
Last Updated: October 23, 2025 at 16:24
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