DVD Movie Review - Prisoners

Prisoners is the type of movie that will make your ass cheeks crawl to the edge of your seat.  With a firm grasp on suspense and tragedy, it's a film you won't stop thinking about.

STORY:

Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) a simple contractor trying to make ends meet, lives his life by always being prepared.  When his young daughter and the daughter of his good friend, Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard), go missing, anger and desperation take over his life and the lives around him.  Sadness, torture, despair, affection, and survival ensue.

Due to Hugh's overwhelming sex-appeal, most women in the audience who rubbed against him,

didn't shower for days. 

THOUGHTS:

Prisoners is a fantastic film.  Climbing just over two and a half hours, the movie will breeze by, keeping you guessing and holding your breath until the end.  Not only is the story, dialogue, plot and tone of the film well executed, but the acting—whether from Jackman or anyone else in the cast—is tremendous.

But don't let the above words inspire you to run out and rent this film, because the premise isn't for everyone.  The subject of child abduction is hard to swallow no matter who you are, but being a parent will probably drop you into two categories: People that will relate to the anger and desperation exhaled by the main characters, and people who won't be able to stomach the movie at all.  If you have no problem watching a film that shows graphic torture scenes and people breaking down in the face of terrible tragedy, then Prisoners will keep you tense until the climax.

This movie contains psychopaths, the mentally disturbed, blood, victims, killers, abductions, and true life situations.  And it doesn't fear asking the tough questions and/or presenting the terrible consequences about any of the above.  What would you do if your child was taken?  What lengths would you go to get them back?  Can a strong family remain civil facing these circumstances?  And how much does this type of crime affect the law enforcement?  All these questions and more are presented through fantastic performances from the cast.

"Whoa, whoa...whoa!  Just because you're angry with me, doesn't mean you have the 

right to bring up the Prince of Persia."

Hugh Jackman, a.k.a. The Wolverine, shows you he's not just some adamantium-clawed one-trick pony.  Jackman is the film.  Hugh portrays Dover as a man who spends all his free time gathering provisions, and reciting a mantra throughout the story: "prepare for the worst, pray for the best."  But his calm loving husband/father disposition, deteriorates when his daughter disappears.  You'll see Jackman's character go through the gauntlet of emotions, ranging from sadness, to anger, and then to utter collapse.  And his added facial expressions and body language make you feel every mental state.

Jake Gyllenhaal is the other side to the movie, portraying the over-worked, desperate, Detective Loki, who's attempting to use everything in his power to find the little girls that have been abducted.  The movie makes you realize that cops or any law enforcement, have to remain neutral when working a case and must rely on facts.  But sometimes a case can push a person to the brink and Gyllenhaal holds nothing back in his performance.  He has a scene where he completely breaks down in front of the men in his precinct and it's something you'll never forget.

Paul Dano, who plays the accused child abductor Alex Jones, is another actor that shows remarkable skill in his role.  His scenes may be the ones some people opt to cover their eyes, but these parts hold the most remarkable acting in the film.  But let's not down play the rest of the cast who have minor, yet memorable moments:  Terrence Howard (Franklin Birch) is the heart broken father with a conscious.  Maria Bello (Grace Dover) plays the depressed wife and hysterical mother, while Viola Davis (Nancy Birch) represents the caring, yet stern matriarch in the face of tragedy.

"Cut!  Mr. Jackman, can we please do the scene one more time, WITHOUT you pretending 

to go into Berserker Rage."

MOTIVE:

The main characters all have the perfect motives for their emotions and decisions throughout the film.  But where motive really counts—the reason for the whole plot that's taking place—is where the writing falters somewhat.  And just a few lines of dialogue don't really help solve one of the major plot questions.  Does this hurt the film?  Not really, because the story is more about people trying to muscle through pain and their reactions to tragedy, rather than the abduction plot that's seems to fall on the back burner. 

EDITING:

There are a couple of scenes that don't finish on camera and instead just cut to black.  Whether this is due to the already long running time or intentional, it seems a little unnecessary.  You can fill in the blanks, but it would have been nice to see how the actors handled each of those situations.  And sometimes it's a climax that the movie decides to let you play out in your mind.  The cuts may feel a little cheap, but nevertheless, don't really take away from the story as a whole.

SUSPENSE:

There will be questions lingering around your mind the entire time you're watching this film.  And for each one, you'll never truly know if they'll be answered.  Prisoners uses this unpredictability to push the envelope and up the stakes as plot progresses.  This film becomes one of those stories that you'll retrace in your mind as soon as it's over, attempting to piece it all together by following the subtle clues.

"Man, these parents asking for Pee-Wee Soccer money...do not stop.  

Time to roll up the old window."

CONCLUSION:

Prisoners is without a doubt, a non-miss film for movie-goers who can handle it.  Heinous crimes and their terrible outcomes are played out in suspenseful fashion, using a superb cast to hold it all together.  It may be a tough pill to swallow, but if you're able to watch Prisoners, you'll see some of the best acting this year.  Sorry gents, if date night comes down to this or The Notebook (again), you might be in a tiny bit of trouble.

4 out of 5 stars (minus a star for slight miscalculations in motives and editing)