Millionaire Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) has built his career on business gambles. When his son Sean is kidnapped, he initially agrees to make the $2 million payment to ensure Sean's safety, but is assaulted by one of the kidnappers. Realising that he has no guarantee of Sean's return if he pays the kidnappers off, Mullen instead goes on national television and offers the ransom money as a reward for whoever brings the kidnappers in. When the kidnappers approach Mullen's wife, he doubles the reward. He is now gambling with both his marriage and his son's life.