Prisoners Review

        This is the first time in this cinematic experiment where I will dedicate a month to a director. Throughout April, I’ll be looking at four films by Denis Villeneuve. You may have heard of him when he was tasked with directing the recent adaptation of Dune. His first feature film was August 32nd on Earth, it was screened at Cannes Film Festival and was submitted to be nominated for Best Foreign Film, which didn’t qualify. Regardless, he already built a career with his directorial style in Canada. Inevitably, he flew down south and further cemented his name. With that, here’s what I think for his American debut film, Prisoners. 

1. Keller Dover

        The film is mostly straightforward as a Crime/Thriller. During a Thanksgiving meal between neighbors, the Dover’s and Birch’s lose their younger daughters. Keller desperately searches for his younger daughter Anna. Meanwhile, Detective Loki uncovers another clue that is tied to the girl’s disappearance. 

        Hugh Jackman is great as always in this film. I stated before when I talked about X-Men that he manages to pull off a convincing American accent. You wouldn’t suspect that he’s Australian since his American accent has a very gruffness to it. What I like about his character that he’s not just a one-dimensional Dad trying to find his kid. We see just how much he cares for his kids. And when caring for his wife who's in a bout of depression, he tries to comfort her.

        What makes him interesting is that he’s a man of faith. As I’ll talk about in the next tab, he goes down a dangerous path. I’ll elaborate further than that. With Keller’s faith, he has a thing that makes him be straight with his actions. Hell, we see moments where he’s wearing a cross and has a tattoo of a cross on his hand. After doing the things that I will get to, don't you worry, he says a prayer as a way to make him be absolved with what he's done. Knowing well that it's wrong, but feels justified in doing. 

        His bickering with Detective Loki is one of the highlights in the film. We see throughout the film just the ways that they go about trying to find the missing kids. Loki is mostly trying to stay within the law but gets frustrated when the main suspect is let go without further questioning. It really boils down to operating around the law which Keller does, while also attempting to hide from Loki what he’s really doing. 

2. Search gone Toxic

        The main takeaway that I have seen in this movie is this idea of monsters. One of the main suspects is Alex Jones, we are told that he’s a mentally maladaptive person who has a low IQ. I think it was just genius that Paul Dano manages to be an unassuming creep. And prescient since he stars as The Riddler in The Batman. Hell, he even sings the Jingle Bells Batman version. 

        Anyways, this theme of Monsters pops up when Keller goes above and beyond to kidnap Alex and to interrogate him through violent means. And we get a glimpse of just how much he’s willing to deliver a brutal interrogation. The highlight is obviously when he brings his neighbor and violently asks Alex where’s the girls. To the point where Keller hammers the sink into pieces. The intensity is easily the best moment.

        Other than that, we see that this idea spreads to Keller’s neighbors. At first they’re apprehensive, but soon they see the tied up Alex. Who’s covered in blood and has his eye swollen from the initial beatings. While they don’t stoop in to Dover’s mean of interrogation, but they become alienated since it’s too much. 

        I can’t fault Keller for being like this. Any father would act the same way if he’s missing their child. More so that it shows that any person can become a monster. Not just limiting to Alex or another suspect who may have the children. Loki almost crosses the line when he finds another person of interest. Going so far to chase after him during a vigil and forcing his way to the new suspect’s house. 

        Lastly, this movie defintitly made me tense with what's going on. The whole plot to find the missing children turned into red herrings left and right. While it would've been one thing where it would lead to nowhere. Here, it works since it's interconnected within the community and with the actual kidnapper. I won't give it away, but the film did a really tough job trying to deflect who the real criminal was. 

3. Overall

        Prisoners is one of the best films to come out of 2013. It gave Villeneuve a broad representation of his craft and he didn’t look back. While this wasn’t the first film I was exposed to, his US debut is one to check out.