Prisoners Review: Are we all Trapped?

Director: Dennis Villeneuve

 

UK Release Date: 27th September 2013

 

Running Time: 153 minutes

 

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Terrence Howard, Paul Dano

 

Prisoners is a chilling crime thriller that was released in 2013.  Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhall star and both give incredible performances making this film a superb watch.  Director Dennis Villenueve could not have done much more to make this film more thrilling or gripping throughout.

 

The film is about the disappearance of characters Keller Dover (Jackman) and Franklin Birch (Howard) two young daughters on Thanksgiving. However the film centres around Dover's reaction to the apparent kidnapping and the toll it takes on him, his wife and their son.  While Detective Loki (Gylenhaal) does his best to find the missing girls, Keller takes things into his own hands by kidnapping the number one suspect, Alex Jones (Dano).

 

 

 

The film is full of suspense and will keep you guessing right up until the end.  An extremely powerful performance from Jackman makes this film stand out from others like it.  Rarely has he been seen to display such raw emotion and it is a pleasure to see.  The film is backed up by an ensemble cast where Gyllenhaal also puts in a great performance to add to the depth of the films characters.

 

This film is not just about the two girls being kidnapped and being considered as prisoners but it shows how in a situation like this everyone is a prisoner.  The families of the missing girls are lost to their emotions - Keller's wife, Grace (Bello) deals with it by taking sleeping pills and is a prisoner to her room.  Keller himself becomes prisoner to his demons while Detective Loki is a prisoner to his past.

 

Similar in ways to Zodiac (2007), Prisoners is an excellent film. Even if you are not a fan of thriller or crime films this film is worth a genuine watch.  Impressive performances by all those involved and directed perfectly, Prisoners offers an exhilarating storyline with scenes that will make you be on edge of your seat for many different reasons.

 

M+F Rating: 8/10 

 

Reviewed by M+F Reviews.