Prisoners Review

Prisoners

3 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Prisoners is one of the finest adult crime dramas to come around in a while. It is magnificently acted, beautifully shot, and exceptionally executed. This is a thought-provoking film that will stay with you for quite some time with its complex questions and meaty material.

Prisoners' story is one that should terrify and sicken any parent. The Dover family and the Birch family decide to get together for Thanksgiving. It is a beautiful day filled with great times and wonderful conversation. The Dover's daughter and the Birch's daugther decide to go outside to play in the snow. There is a suspicious RV parked in the street. Then, the parents worst nightmare sets in: the girls are gone. The parents search day and night for their daughters. Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is getting increasingly obsessive about finding the girls and will stop at nothing to do so. Grace (Maria Bello) is having a mental breakdown. Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy (Viola Davis) Burch can do nothing but cry. That's when Keller decides to take matters into his own hands. He accuses Alex (Paul Dano) of kidnapping the girls because he was the one in the RV. Alex claims that he didn't do anything. Detective Loki (Jack Gyllenhaal) is willing to help out these two families, but there are absolutely no leads and no clues as to where the girls are and who is responsible.

Prisoners asks the question: how far would you go to save your loved ones? You might be horrified with what you see on screen, but it'll truly make you ponder what you would do in horrific situations.

The script from writer Aaron Guzikowski is top-notch. The film truly explores the concepts of parenthood, manhood, and torture with dips into psychology and philosophy in an extraordinary way. You will constantly be thinking when you watch this movie. On top of all of the complexity is a challenging story that twists and turns in the most fascinating ways. I can guarantee you that you won't know what's coming. And when that whopper of an ending hits you, you will be stunned.

Kudos to director Denis Villeneuve for creating a film that is disturbing and chilling to the core. This film is dark and icy with some extreme suspense. You may be tempted to cover your eyes and grip your armrests because the intensity of the film gradually builds and builds to great power. Villeneuve has a keen eye for visuals, and thanks to the brilliant cinematographer Roger Deakins, Prisoners is always a beauty to behold. Most importantly, Villeneuve does an extraordinary job of drawing out spectacular performances from his actors.

Hugh Jackman knocks it out of the park in one of the most intense and challenging roles of 2013. He is riveting, frightening, and commanding all at once. This equals his Oscar-nominated performance in Les Miserables. Viola Davis is heartbreakingly good in a minor yet powerful role. Maria Bello and Terrence Howard are top-notch in slightly underwritten roles. Paul Dano gives a very "Paul Dano"-ish performance that will undoubtedly shock and impress you throughout the film's entirety. Melissa Leo is intriguing yet chilling as Alex's lonely aunt. And Jack Gyllenhaal gives one of his best performances as the detective on the verge. The nervous tics, the pure intensity, and the pleading desperation are all completely Gyllenhaal's. He nails it.

So where does Prisoners fall? In its overly long runtime. Prisoners is two and a half hours. It really does not need to be that long. The film drags during the middle, which is sorely disappointing. A solid 15-30 minutes could have been trimmed from Prisoners, and it would have been close to perfection.

If you aren't afraid of a film that will simultaneously challenge and disturb you, Prisoners is a must-see. It rewards patient and intelligent moviegoers with a story that constantly surprises and some of the finest acting you'll see this year.