Prisoners Review

Rated R (Disturbing Violent Content including Torture, and Language Throughout)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 33 Minutes

Cast-

Hugh Jackman-Keller Dover

Jake Gyllenhaal-Detective David Wayne Loki

Maria Bello-Grace Dover

Terrence Howard-Franklin Birch

Viola Davis-Nancy Birch

Melissa Leo-Holly Jones

Paul Dano-Alex Jones

Dylan Minnette-Ralph Dover

Erin Gerasimovich-Anna Dover

Zoe Soul-Eliza Birch

Kyla Drew Simmons-Joy Birch

Wayne Duvall-Captain Richard O'Malley

Len Cariou-Father Patrick Dunn

David Dastmalchian-Bob Taylor

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal deliver intense performances in Denis Villeneuve's "Prisoners."

Note: At Regal E-Walk Stadium 13.

'There are a lot of bad people out there, Raymond,' my grandmother used to say with the utmost seriousness when I was a kid. I'll admit, it sounds like a line from a cheesy film and I remember laughing off her ominous warnings as the product of an overprotective parent but deep down, I knew what she said was and continues to be true, especially in the wake of so many tragedies in the past two years. Parents worry (some more than others) and my grandmother, being the pessimist that she is, would always think of the worst-case scenarios in order to keep me on the straight and narrow. Sure, it had the effect of turning me into an overly-cautious adult (a trait that my mom teases me about from time to time) but I remain very grateful of my grandmother's presence in my childhood. She taught me to always be ready for any emergency, which is the same advice that Hugh Jackman's Keller Dover gives to his son in Denis Villeneuve's latest film, "Prisoners." However, no amount of foresight can prepare him for the abduction of his eight-year-old daughter. It's a nightmare scenario that every parent would never want to experience but if, God forbid, it happened, how would you deal with it? How far will you go to protect the ones you love? With this film, the Academy Award-nominated "Incendies" director forces audiences to confront their own notions of guilt, innocence, and desperation when the life of someone you hold dear hangs in the balance. Beautifully shot and emotionally gut-wrenching, "Prisoners" is a powerfully acted and thoroughly engrossing thriller that fearlessly confronts the thin line separating right from wrong. This is a deeply affecting picture and one of the best films of 2013.

Pennsylvania suburbanite and struggling carpenter Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), his wife Grace (Maria Bello), and their two children—sixteen-year-old Ralph (Dylan Minnette) and eight-year-old Anna (Erin Gerasimovich)—have come to spend Thanksgiving with neighbors Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy Birch (Viola Davis), and their two daughters, teenager Eliza (Zoe Soul) and little Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons). However, the two families' hope for a quiet evening is shattered when Anna and Joy suddenly go missing on their way to the Dover's home to retrieve an emergency whistle that Keller had his daughter carry at all times. Ralph mentions that he and the girls had previously come across a strange RV that was parked down the street from the Birch's house but is now missing as well. Keller immediately calls the police, who dispatches veteran detective David Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) to locate the whereabouts of the RV. The search doesn't take long, with Loki arresting the driver, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), and interrogating him for hours. It soon becomes clear that Alex is too mentally handicapped to perpetrate a crime like this and is released into the custody of his Aunt Holly (Melissa Leo) after being held for 48 hours. This move enrages Keller and he decides to take matters into his own hands by kidnapping Alex and imprisoning him in his now-abandoned former residence. As Detective Loki pursues one lead after another, Keller repeatedly tortures the young man in order to force him to talk. When Franklin and Nancy learn of his actions, they do not stop him even though they know it is wrong as they see it as the only to get their daughters back.

Given its dark and disturbing subject matter—child abduction with possible murder and/or abuse—Denis Villeneuve's "Prisoners" is certainly not for the faint of heart and is bound to leave more sensitive viewers squirming uncomfortably in their seats. Some might even be compelled to walk out of the theater. It's easy to dismiss the film as a tasteless and exploitative revenge thriller due to the way the studio is marketing the picture to audiences but that would be doing the director and writer Aaron Guzikowski (whose sole credit before this film was last year's "Contraband") a huge disservice. Yes, it is by definition a thriller and the story is largely driven by the mystery of the girls' abduction yet it's also concerned with the emotional fallout of the parents, who find themselves trapped in a state of helplessness. With no physical evidence found in his RV, the mentally impaired Alex Jones is released. Keller, however, is sure that Alex is either responsible or knows where his daughter is hidden and feeling that the local police aren't doing enough, decides to take matters into his own hands. It's a slippery slope; you sympathize with Keller's plight but when he's beating Alex into a bloody pulp, it begs the question: who is the real monster here? Making this morality play all the more potent is the way Guzikowski keeps the viewer guessing on whether Alex is really guilty. This sense of doubt hangs over Keller's head throughout the film but he sees his actions as justified. To him, the frightened young man is not a person anymore. Franklin reluctantly goes along with his friend yet eventually breaks down in front of his wife Nancy. Although the two decide to walk away when Keller's actions grow too extreme, they consciously choose not to free Alex out of fear that they will lose their chance of locating the girls. Even as the hope of finding them alive diminishes with each passing day, the need for closure overrides their rationality. Villeneuve and Guzikowski continuously push the audience, forcing them to confront the increasingly blurred line between right and wrong while also asking each viewer what they would do if they were in Keller's position. Like in real life, there are no easy answers, only choices and consequences.

Besides examining how one's ethics are tested in moments of extreme crises, "Prisoners" is also a riveting whodunit. The pacing is deliberately methodical, with no scene being wasted despite the seemingly disconnected nature of all the clues that are strewn throughout the narrative. During his investigation, Detective Loki comes across a decaying corpse in the basement of a drunken priest and a suspicious figure at a vigil held for the girls but how are the two related? What role does God and religion play in the girls' abduction and what exactly is the significance of the snakes and the mazes? The way the script doles out these bits of information suggest that Guzikowski is making it up as he goes along but this couldn't be farther from the truth. The writer skillfully ties up all these disparate details together like a practiced surgeon, with absolutely nothing coming off as extraneous or illogical. While it's easy to see in hindsight how everything clicks together, the story avoids tipping its hand and kept me guessing throughout its 153-minute running time. I have to admit, I was genuinely surprised when the identity of the abductor was finally revealed, which is a rare feat indeed. The mood and tone of the picture is greatly accented by Roger Deakins' gorgeous cinematography. Bathing the film in a haunting and atmospheric blue tinge, Deakins emphasizes the sordid secrets that lie hidden within this seemingly peaceful suburb.

The performances are of the highest caliber, with Hugh Jackman delivering a career best as a desperate father whose only wish is to reunite with his daughter. His grief and barely contained rage is felt in every scene but what makes Jackman so good in the role is the way he straddles the line between sympathetic and despicable. Jake Gyllenhaal's Detective Loki largely remains a mystery, which makes him all the more fascinating to watch. The way Loki twitchily blinks when under severe stress, combined with his world weary demeanor, lends the character a hard-boiled, film noir feel. It's a performance that relies on subtlety and Gyllenhaal handles this with aplomb, imbuing the role with all the development it needs with just the smallest nonverbal cues. Terrence Howard and Viola Davis are great as well, with the two perfectly capturing the Birch's conflicted emotions regarding Keller's actions. Maria Bello does some fine work as a mother shell-shocked with grief but this unfortunately sidelines her for much of the film. Paul Dano disappears into the role of Alex Jones, creating a character that's hard to figure out. There's a slight menace to the young man despite his soft-spoken features. Finally, Melissa Leo is virtually unrecognizable as Alex's Aunt Holly, who has more than a few secrets of her own.

Released on September 20, 2013, "Prisoners" has received positive reviews with 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the film for its 'emotional complexity and sense of dread that makes for absorbing (and disturbing) viewing.' Despite its difficult subject matter, audiences flocked to the film but it remains to be seen if it'll hold up well in the long run. So far, it has earned $38.5 million. The ending is deliberately ambiguous, which will leave moviegoers who want their stories tied up in a neat little bow angry. In the words of critic Dustin Putman, 'let them be mad.' "Prisoners" isn't meant to be a crowd-pleasing experience. This is a disturbing picture that doesn't shy away from asking the hard questions, forcing viewers to confront their own notions of right and wrong in a world that is frequently harsh and cruel. I left the theater utterly speechless and I doubt any other film this year will result in the same reaction.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

"Someone has to make him talk or they're gonna die!"