From critically acclaimed director Dennis Villeneuve (Incendies) comes a dark, brooding, brutal star filled drama that will absorb you from minute one until after the titles roll.
Prisoners focuses on Hugh Jackman's character Keller Dover whose daughter is kidnapped along with his friends daughter (Terrence Howard). Keller takes action into his own hands when the alleged perpetrator is released by the police (Jake Gyllenhaal). Keller kidnaps his daughters abductor (Paul Dano) and traps him in an old building and tortures him to get information out of him.
That's about all I can give without spilling spoilers. Everything about this film soars, and it soars high. An intensely complex script written by Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband) that takes you into the mind of Keller, and into the complexity of the case being upheld by Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal). Jackman's performance is his best in his career. He delivers a brooding and haunting performance of a man who would do anything for his daughter that could very easily get some Oscar attention come this award season. I
Although this film does take a while to get its feet on the ground due to its massive runtime of just over 2 and half hours, the imagery pulls you in from minute one. Roger Deakins is known for his absolutely stunning cinematography and in Prisoners it's beautifully dreadful. More than half of it takes place either at night or in the rain, and it's never looked so bleak and beautiful. Throughout the entire length the sense of foreboding dread never leaves, not even after the credits roll. This movie sticks with you and stays in your brain for hours after you've left the theater, with an ending that'll leave your gut on the floor.
The direction is ambitious, the aesthetic is bleak and clear. The script delivers smart setups and even better, darker payoffs. The pacing is slow but perfect. When this movie takes hold, it never lets go and it takes hold early. The performances are award worthy, and it's simply amazing to look at. It's not a movie for the faint of heart. Prisoners is a mature movie meant for mature viewing. It's a disturbing, unrelenting tour de force of a film that needs to be seen and should garner plenty of attention by the academy, especially for its writing. Despite having a bloated runtime, it's a movie that won't leave your mind anytime soon. It requires multiple viewings and rewards you for doing so by answering questions and digging deep into subplots that makes for an even more immersive experience. I give Prisoners 4.5 stars out of 5.
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros