Prisoners, 2013.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal , Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano.
SYNOPSIS:
When Keller Dover’s (Jackman) daughter and her friend go missing he decides to take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, hotshot detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) is trying to figure out the puzzle but the numerous leads don’t seem to converge.
Prisoners is an intense thriller that has quite a few unsettling moments. It features a very complex, thought-provoking morality and even now I’m still not sure how I feel about the actions of Keller Dover. It’s a grim film that will have you pondering the subject matter for days after, and it never shies away from the bleak consequences of the actions the characters take.
I wasn’t familiar with any of Villeneuve’s work before this film but I was very impressed. He created a haunting atmosphere that suited that film perfectly, and some of the shots were well-crafted. One of my favourites was the reveal of a blood-soaked, swollen face from behind a sink, and there was another sequence with flashing neon lights that looked gorgeous. It’s not the type of film where you’d think the visuals would have such an impact, but it really helps strengthen the meat of the story.
As for the story, it’s interesting and powerful. I didn’t find it predictable; I only realised the true nature of the mystery mere seconds before the characters realised it, and I liked that it kept me guessing and it kept me intrigued. I also thought it held together well and everything made sense. At two and a half hours it is quite a long film, but it is well-paced so it doesn’t feel like it dragged. However, it’s definitely not something you’d want to watch just to kill some time; it’s not a light movie at all.
If you’ve seen the trailer or any of the posters you’ll know that the film features a much-decorated cast (apart from Paul Dano apparently, who I feel sorry for). But the way the cast is handled is one of the few flaws of the film. It’s definitely the Hugh Jackman/Jake Gyllenhaal show. Jackman gives a very intense performance and he really shines with the complex role he’s been given. Gyllenhaal is more subdued and composed, but with little ticks and twitches he gives some depth to a character that is otherwise pretty shallow. The other actors all do well with what they’ve been given, but most of them aren’t given much. As the film went on the other characters were pushed aside, this was especially noticeable with Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy (Viola Davis). Their daughter had gone missing too, yet they were barely visible in the final act.
I’d definitely recommend this film. I liked it a lot; I think it’s very powerful, tense and absorbing. It’s a heavy film so I don’t necessarily think it’s one you’d want to revisit time and time again but you’d be missing out if you don’t see it. My only real complaint is that I don’t think the much-vaunted cast were used to the fullest extent, but other than that it works on every level.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert D. Spake – Find me on Facebook and Amazon.
Originally published September 25, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
