Review: 'Prisoners'

Review:  Prisoners

Plot:  On a drab and dreary Thanksgiving day, two close families, the Dovers and the Birches, meet for a traditional meal of togetherness, food, and family.  Tragically both families' lives are suddenly thrown into turmoil when their daughters disappear.  The only clue involves an RV that the children were playing near. When the RV is recovered,  so is suspect Alex Jones (Paul Dano).  Unfortunately, Jones seemingly has the mental state of a ten year old and could not possibly have committed the kidnapping.  Or could he?  The case leads detective David Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) on a desperate chase to find the girls.  

Meanwhile, the disappearance and lack of progress over the case, causes Dover patriarch Keller (Hugh Jackman) to become unhinged.  He will stop at nothing to find his daughter...even if it means breaking the law and drawing his friend Franklin (Terrence Howard) into his mission.

Review:  A dark and gripping psychological thriller that grasps you by the throat and doesn't let go, Prisoners is an unrelenting film that probes the depth of the human psyche.  A film as disturbing as it is compelling, Denis Villeneuve's American film debut will stay with you long after the credits roll.

One of my benchmarks for a good movie has been and continues to be, how often I think of the film in the days following the initial viewing.  I watched the film over a month ago and I still find myself thinking about it.  That's how much the film made an impression on me.  Prisoners is the total package, from the excellent writing, to the cinematography, to two stellar performances by Jackman and Gyllenhaal; this film has it all.  I went into Prisoners expecting the typical thriller motif:  a psycho kidnaps children, a desperate race against time, eventual rescue, etc.  Prisoners

is anything but your typical thriller. 

Obviously the premise of Prisoners is a parent's worst nightmare and a detective's worst kind of case.  However, aside from the real abduction, the film demonstrates how a person can become a prisoner of their own obsessions.  In the case of Keller its his conviction that Alex is the real culprit, despite no compelling evidence to support his notion.  Alex's Aunt and caretaker Holly (Melissa Leo) stresses to Loki and Keller that the man-child wouldn't hurt a fly. All outward appearances seem to support her claim, as Alex is about as introverted as you can possibly imagine.

Yet as one my favorite authors Terry Goodkind writes, "Passion rules reason, for better or for worse." Keller's passion drives him to kidnap  Alex, imprison him, and torture him in order to extract information.  Keller employs everything from severe beatings, to water torture, to light deprivation.  The dark place that Keller descends to is terrifying,  made even moreso by the fact that it's plausible that given similar circumstances, any parent could be capable of these extreme actions.  Jackman's performance is nothing short of flawless and it's a damn shame that he was overlooked for a Best Oscar nod this year.  It's not hyperbole to say that this is the performance of Jackman's career.

As phenomenal as Jackman is in Prisoners, Gyllenhaal is equally brilliant.  I've never been the biggest fan of Gyllenhaal.  He always seemed a little too clean cut for my taste.  But his Loki shows a surprising depth I've heretofore never seen.  Gyllenhaal's method acting is at the forefront in

Prisoners.  Whether it's a continuous eye tic that makes him appear constantly alert and anxious, or his intense interrogation of Alex, or his palpable frustration at his impotence in finding the victims, he's fully immersed in agent Loki's persona.  As much as Jackman was deserving of an Oscar nomination, Gyllenhaal was equally so. 

What's truly brilliant about Villeneuve's direction and Aaron Guzikowski's script is the ability to transfer the characters' circumstances to the audience's involvement in the film.  Just like Keller and Loki, you're never really sure until the end of the film if Alex really committed the crime.  This not only heightens the suspense but makes the audience sympathetic AND suspicious of Alex at the same time.  I can't stress what an amazing  accomplishment this is.  You rarely see it in thrillers anymore.  This is compounded by the pastiche of the film itself which represents the cold

winters of Pennsylvania.  Most of the colors are shades of black and gray which lend the film an eerie quality.  The severe nature of that eeriness really hits home in the final minutes of the film.  While not everyone may like the ending, it's certainly riveting and appropriate in light of the film's

tone. 

I have a suspicion that Prisoners will become one of those movies that is studied in film school and will set the benchmark for classic detective movies. It possesses the intrigue of Rear Window and the intensity of Se7en.  It's a picture that demands multiple viewings and captivates your mind.  As I've stated Prisoners will be a film that sticks with me for a long time.  A masterpiece not to be missed, Prisoners undoubtedly will stand the test of time and go down as one of the great mystery thrillers of the 21st century.  Don't miss it.

My rating:  10/10