Imagine if Chelsea Clinton was grabbed by white slave traders and spirited off to the Middle East while her dad was still president.

And just to make things interesting, the seedy captors haven't got a clue about the real identity of the college girl they have snatched.

This is the scenario facing special ops veteran Robert Scott (Kilmer)...except you'd imagine it wouldn't be too long before someone clocked Chelsea's boatrace.

In fact, kidnapped Laura Newton (Bell) has just had her distinctive hairstyle changed...so the thinking goes no-one's going to twig just yet.

However, the White House knows that if she's not back in class on Monday then the press will be all over the case like a rash.

Scott, aided by rookie protege Curtis (Luke), isn't helped by shady government agents Burch (Ed O'Neill) and Stoddard (H Macy).

It appears to the clinically intuitive Scott that they may know more about the abduction than they're letting on. But his is not to reason why. Or is it?

Opting for a pretty implausible premise, it's to Mamet's credit that he keeps things credible with pared down, authentic-sounding dialogue.

The simple police procedural - ruthless efficiency shouldering out legal niceties - is coldly observed as the government task force slides into gear.

We're with Scott - "a shooter not a planner" - as he faces a grim dichotomy...whether to follow his head (and keep it down) or follow his heart (and risk getting it stopped).

At times, the drama gets a little strained but there's enough of Mamet's trademark blind alleys and red herrings to keep you hooked.

It's Kilmer's best role for a while and he strikes just the right balance of icy detachment and against-the-grain humanity.

While not on a par with Mamet's Heist, there's always room for a cerebral thriller which treats its audience with intelligence.

Tim Evans