Prisoners

Walking out of the cinema yesterday after watching Prisoners left me reminiscent of a much simpler time in film. The modern day principle of most thrillers seems to have become more and more reliant upon shock and awe. No longer is the 'happy ending' of yesteryear's Hollywood pieces common place, and instead nihilism seems to have taken over the mind of the modern director. Prisoners is a great example of the stress and strain film today is putting its audiences under, and despite a cleverly woven plot, aspects of torture and other squeamish moments may be too much for even the modern viewer to stomach. 

The story is centered on the disappearance of two young girls mysteriously on Thanksgiving. Keller, the father of one (Hugh Jackman) is hellbent on finding them, and puts all his efforts into getting the main suspect, a simple minded man (Paul Dano) to reveal their location. Meanwhile, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) goes down his own route of finding the two, only to discover a deeply interwoven history that may be a lot more than a simple kidnapping. 

Jackman especially shows of all his acting credentials as a father pushed to the edge, and in some gut-wrenching scenes he goes as far as some creative torture methods to find answers. Gyllenhaal is likeable in his role too, and Dano's twisted demenor is applaudable, but Jackman is the one that steals the show. 

However it isn't the acting that makes the film a standout. Denis Villeneuve as director creates a brilliant mystery in setting. Utilising fog and mist to create an eerie lure that makes suburbia seem far too disturbing. The camera remains deathly still creating a slow paced thriller, but never shies away from the horror. The adrenaline gets pumping but that's all down to the extensively clever narrative. It has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, and a deeper level to give you plenty of food for thought, allowing you to ask the question within yourself of how you would cope in the same situation. 

Despite its extensive credentials, the film almost trips over itself because of its content. At points even though the torture and other disturbing themes serves the plot, it leaves long moments in which enjoyment is hard to be found, and with a pretty extensive run time there is a few spells in which even someone with an iron stomach like myself was getting fidgety in my seat. The film still has to be applauded because it is very clever piece from a technical standpoint, but it really does lack on the enjoyment front. The ending provides some clarity with light at the end of the tunnel, but the journey is a savage one that really puts a test to the human condition. If this is the way thrillers are going, suicide hotline disclaimers may need to become as essential as a large bag of popcorn.

Director: Denis Villeneuve 

Run Time: 153 Minutes

Nationality: American

IMDB Rating: 8.3/10

My Grade: 

C+