The Girl in the Box (2016) is a psychological thriller based on true events, centered on Colleen Stan, a young college student whose life takes a terrifying turn when she is kidnapped by a drifter named Cameron Hooker.

Colleen is abducted and held captive for years in a remote location, where Cameron subjects her to extreme control, manipulation, and abuse. To keep her compliant, he isolates her from the outside world, using fear, threats, and psychological tactics to break her will. At first, Colleen resists and looks for ways to escape, but over time, the constant pressure, violence, and emotional manipulation wear down her spirit.

Cameron eventually forces Colleen into a wooden box — a cramped, dark space where she is confined for long periods — as punishment or control. The box becomes a symbol of her imprisonment and psychological torture. Despite the abuse, while in captivity Colleen also forms a complicated and disturbing emotional attachment to Cameron, a phenomenon that mirrors real-world cases of trauma bonding and Stockholm syndrome.

During her captivity, Colleen remains alert for possible opportunities to escape, quietly observing patterns, learning behavior, and waiting for any sign that she can take back control of her life. The film portrays not only the physical confinement but also the emotional conflict inside Colleen as she grapples with fear, survival instincts, confusion, and occasional manipulated loyalty.

The Girl in the Box is a disturbing and intense story about captivity, psychological control, resilience, and the long-lasting effects of trauma. It examines how extreme abuse can alter perception, self-identity, and the will to survive, while also showing the courage it takes to ultimately break free from an unimaginable situation.