Look it's not going to win any Oscars, but it's not as bad as some reviewers are making it out to be. The acting is not oscar worthy, but what are you expecting here? Saying that, the acting is not that bad either. There is enough tension and suspense to keep you hooked. Honestly I think this was quite good. I have seen A LOT worse out there.
At the beginning you think Hayden's character is a bit airheaded and selfish and I guess that was the intention. They don't overplay that the taxi driver is a bad dad. He's just trying to make it like every other person out there. Trying to do good by his kid. But at the same time trying to do good.
So yeah, the police could have done more. But they didn't stereotype it so that they did absolutely nothing or the opposite, overplayed it so it was way too unrealistic. If this movie nteaches us anything, its that far too often people do nothing when they really should. People don't want to get involved, but at the same time it's not trying to advocate that everyone should take the law into their own hands. It's trying to tell us that if you see something they is not right, trust your instincts. If it proves to be nothing, then at least you tried. But what if you ignored your instincts, what if you were one move away from saving someone. Think on that and stop judging every step like it has to be epic.