movie review prisoners 2013

"Prisoners"

Kidnapping thrillers often lull us into a sense of safety in the opening sequences, showing the normal rhythms of life that will soon be shattered. Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners” does not go that route. It opens with a shot of a snowy forest, where a deer quietly noses around for food. Into the frame comes the barrel of a shotgun. We hear a prayer being intoned. Boom, the deer goes down. The camera pulls back to show a father ( Hugh Jackman ) and teenage son (Dylan Minnette), in day-glo hunting gear staring at their kill through the ranks of bare trees. On the drive home, the father, who seems humorless, intense, and a bit of a bore, lectures the son on how to always be prepared for the worst in life. 

This opening is so heavy-handed that it’s amazing that the film doesn’t instantly collapse under its symbolic weight. Shot by the great Roger Deakins , regular cinematographer for the Coen brothers, the movie is drenched in rain and drained of color. Aspects of “Prisoners” are effective, but for the most part it’s rather ridiculous (despite the fact that it clearly wants to be taken super-seriously), and there’s an overwrought quality to much of the acting.

Keller Dover (Jackman) is an independent contractor who lives with his wife Grace ( Maria Bello ) and two kids in a suburban neighborhood. He loves Bruce Springsteen , “The Star-Spangled Banner,” hunting, and hoarding canned goods, gas masks, and survivalist gadgets in his basement. On Thanksgiving, the Dovers go to dinner with a neighboring family, Franklin and Nancy Birch ( Terrence Howard and Viola Davis ), who have two kids the same age. While the parents drink wine and talk in the living room, the two little girls ask if they can take a walk. It is a walk from which they do not return. Panic ensues, especially when it becomes clear that a creepy RV, which had been seen parked in the neighborhood earlier, has vanished. Detective Loki ( Jake Gyllenhaal ) is assigned to the case.

The RV’s owner, Alex Jones ( Paul Dano ), is dragged in for questioning. Forensics say the RV is clean of physical evidence, but Alex is strange. he speaks in a whispery high voice that makes him sound like a pre-teen. It is not inconceivable to think that he may be hiding something. This is clearly Dover’s take, and he and Loki immediately start to butt heads about the course of the investigation. When Jones is released due to lack of evidence (into the custody of his aunt, played by Melissa Leo ), Dover takes matters into his own hands, kidnapping Jones, and holding him hostage in an abandoned dilapidated building. Dover loops in Franklin Birch on his plan to beat the truth out of Jones. Birch is horrified at the sight of Jones tied to a sink, but he ignores his own moral compass in the face of Dover’s furious certainty. This is one of the subtler points of the script: how certainty can override doubt with sheer force, and how doubt is often essential to maintaining our humanity.  

Hugh Jackman huffs and puffs and screams and roars throughout the film, and it becomes monotonous, but what all that behavior tells us is that this is a weak man who needs to feel powerful. In one telling moment, while murmuring the “Our Father,” he is unable to say “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” He has a veritable arsenal in his basement, his family could withstand a mustard gas attack as well as the Zombie Apocalypse, but he couldn’t protect his daughter on a simple walk through a safe neighborhood. And he’s so convinced that Alex Jones is the guy that he is blind to other possibilities. Meanwhile, his wife lies in bed, tranquilizing herself into a stupor.

Gyllenhaal is great here in a role that must have looked rather uninteresting on the page. Aaron Guzikowski’s script, so packed with religious symbols that verges on a sermon, is excellent in its spare and compelling portrait of Loki. The only image of the character outside the context of his job is his introductory scene, eating Thanksgiving dinner in an empty, fluorescent-lit Chinese restaurant as the rain batters down outside. The only thing we learn about his past is that he was in a boys’ home and was raised in foster care. His knuckles and neck are sprinkled with tattoos, including a cross on one thumb. He’s got a facial tic. We meet a lot of creeps in “Prisoners”, and you get the sense that Detective Loki could have been one of them if he hadn’t become a cop. It’s a nice performance from Gyllenhaal, and its subtlety is welcome considering all the teeth gnashing going on in other performances.

Director Villeneuve gives us a couple of truly suspenseful scenes. One is a chase through the nighttime back yards of the neighborhood after a candlelight vigil for the two girls. The interiors of the houses seem gloomy and cramped, with walls cutting into the frame and characters coming in and out of sight: a visual correlative for the idea of people cut off from one another. But as the plot goes into high gear and we get other suspects, basement lairs and a glimpse of vast conspiracies, “Prisoners” wears out its welcome.

Sheila O'Malley

Sheila O’Malley received a BFA in Theatre from the University of Rhode Island and a Master’s in Acting from the Actors Studio MFA Program. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

• Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki
• Melissa Leo as Holly Jones
• Paul Dano as Alex Jones
• Maria Bello as Grace Dover
• Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover
• Terrence Howard as Franklin Birch
• Viola Davis as Nancy Birch
• Aaron Guzikowski
• Denis Villeneuve

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Movie Review

After Two Children Vanish, Agony Begets Recklessness

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By A.O. Scott

• Sept. 19, 2013

Violence against children strikes most people as a uniquely terrible phenomenon, which may be why filmmakers are so fond of it. Nothing sparks a revenge plot, or allows a director to trade intellectual nuance for visceral feeling, quite as efficiently as a child in peril. When dealing with people who gratuitously cause the innocent to suffer, no retribution seems too extreme, and the history of movies is full of good men (and a few women) driven to righteous brutality against predators, kidnappers and abusers.

Keller Dover, the enraged, grief-addled father played by Hugh Jackman in Denis Villeneuve’s “ Prisoners ,” seems like such a character. “He’s not a person,” Keller says of the man he believes is responsible for the abduction of his young daughter and her friend. And this conviction, that the apparent perpetrator has forfeited his humanity, allows an honorable family man to contemplate torture and murder. He beats his captive bloody and locks him in a makeshift cell in an abandoned building, hoping to extract the truth and perhaps also a measure of rough justice. When the other girl’s parents (Viola Davis and Terrence Howard) express doubts about what Keller is doing, their qualms strike him as evidence of weakness and irrationality.

But if “Prisoners,” written by Aaron Guzikowski, upholds some of the conventions of the angry-dad revenge drama, it also subverts them in surprising, at times devastating ways. The easy catharsis of righteous payback is complicated at every turn, and pain and uncertainty spread like spilled oil on an asphalt road.

When the girls, Anna and Joy, go missing late on Thanksgiving afternoon, suspicion focuses on the driver of a camper that had been parked in their small-town Pennsylvania neighborhood. An arrest is made of a young man (Paul Dano) who seems mentally disabled and shares no information about the girls’ whereabouts. Then a dead body is found in an elderly priest’s basement, and a second young man, with a nervous manner and a haunted look, shows up at a vigil for the missing children and runs away into the night. False leads and shadowy connections proliferate, and nobody knows if Anna and Joy are dead or alive.

It’s all very creepy and mysterious, and “Prisoners” is, among other things, a satisfying whodunit, with artfully deposited clues and twists that are surprising without entirely undermining the film’s naturalistic credibility.

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Film Review: ‘Prisoners’

By Scott Foundas

Scott Foundas

• Film Review: ‘Black Mass’ 9 years ago
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The wages of sin, guilt, vengeance and redemption weigh heavy on the characters of “ Prisoners ,” a spellbinding, sensationally effective thriller with a complex moral center that marks a grand-slam English-lingo debut for the gifted Quebecois director Denis Villeneuve . Powered by an unusually rich, twisty script by Aaron Guzikowski (“ Contraband ”) and career-best performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal , this tale of two Pennsylvania families searching for their kidnapped daughters sustains an almost unbearable tension for two-and-a-half hours of screen time, satisfying as both a high-end genre exercise and a searing adult drama of the sort Hollywood almost never makes anymore. Fully deserving of mention in the same breath as “Seven,” “Mystic River” and “In the Bedroom,” this Sept. 20 Warners release may prove too intense for some viewers, but should ride strong reviews and word of mouth to above-average R-rated returns. It immediately enters the ring as an awards-season heavyweight.

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Though at first glance the pic would appear to have little in common with his previous work, Villeneuve has long shown an interest in the psychological and emotional consequences of violence, as evidenced by 2009’s serenely chilling, black-and-white “ Polytechnique ” (about a real-life Canadian mass shooting) and especially 2010’s Oscar-nominated “ Incendies ,” which “Prisoners” echoes in its fragmented central mystery and its theme of the good and ill transmitted from parents to children. But in every respect, the new film finds Villeneuve working on his biggest and most ambitious canvas to date and, perhaps most impressive, flawlessly catching the moods and mores of small-town, God-fearing America.

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The movie announces its measured, quietly confident tone right from the opening scene of a father-son deer-hunting trip, the first of many images of predators pursuing their prey. “Be ready,” says the father, Pennsylvania carpenter Keller Dover (Jackman), to the teenage boy ( Dylan Minnette ), a crucifix dangling from the rear-view mirror, a late autumn chill hanging in the air. Back at home, where Keller’s wife, Grace ( Maria Bello ), and 6-year-old daughter, Anna (Erin Gerasimovich), safely await his return, the basement is stocked with enough emergency provisions for a nuclear holocaust. (Among other thing, “Prisoners” is very much a movie about what people have in their basements.) All the canned goods in the world, however, cannot shield the Dovers from what is about to happen next.

Theirs is the kind of quaint suburban street where people walk over to the neighbor’s house for Thanksgiving dinner and feel relatively insulated from the world’s violent ills. Yet it is during just such a Thanksgiving that Anna wanders off unsupervised along with 7-year-old Joy, the daughter of family friends Nancy and Franklin Birch ( Viola Davis and Terrence Howard , respectively). By dessert, both have vanished without a trace . The only clue: Earlier in the day, the girls were seen playing around a camper van parked in front of a vacant house down the road, the faint sound of a radio suggesting that someone was inside, patiently watching.

Det. Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is spending his Thanksgiving alone, flirting with the waitress in a lonely Chinese diner, when he first responds to the case. In the best film-noir manner, rain is sheeting down, and the camera of the great d.p. Roger Deakins (who has shot the film in wintry blues and blacks with an expressionist edge) pushes in slowly from behind. Loki, we are told, has never failed to solve a case, though this is at odds with the man’s solemn demeanor, his haunted gaze and the elaborate tattoos jutting out from his collar suggesting reserves of private rage. Compare this to the eager-beaver murder sleuth Gyllenhaal played in David Fincher’s “Zodiac” and the full breadth of his impressive range immediately comes into focus.

The camper van is soon located along with its owner, a gangly, inarticulate man-child named Alex (played to creepy perfection by Paul Dano ), who lives with his aunt (Melissa Leo) in the kind of run-down, cluttered tract house where serial killers and other movie deviants tend to reside. But awareness of such familiar tropes — and awareness of our awareness of them — is one of “Prisoners’” canny strengths. So it turns out that Alex is not the kidnapper — or at least, that there’s no physical evidence tying him to the scene — and the police are forced to let him go. Which is when Keller, who’s as sure as we are that Alex is guilty, takes matters into his own hands, abducting the suspect and chaining him up in an abandoned apartment building that belonged to his father. The movie’s tally of kidnappers now stands at two.

And the puzzle of “Prisoners” has only just begun to assemble. Following a lead to the home of an elderly priest (Len Cariou), Loki discovers a rotting corpse in a hidden cellar. Then, at exactly the one-hour mark, another shifty young man appears on the scene, triggering a whole new set of suspicions. All the while, Alex sits in hock, violently tortured and interrogated by Keller (who tells his wife he’s off helping the police) in an effort to discern the girls’ whereabouts.

With each successive revelation, Guzikowski’s brilliant script satisfies the necessary machinations while always flowing effortlessly from his vivid, multi-dimensional characters. That delicate balance extends to Villeneuve’s direction, which maintains a vise-like grip on the viewer without ever resorting to cheap shock effects or compromising the integrity of the human drama. Yet this is also a film that breathes, that knows it has the audience in its palm and can take time out for the kind of incidental, character-deepening scenes that usually end up on the cutting-room floor. In less assured hands, a movie called “Prisoners” with a plot like this would be an invitation to disaster, heavy on self-conscious allegory, symbolism and moral debate. (Everyone, don’t you see, is a prisoner of something — of time, of grief, of his own psyche.) In Villeneuve’s, nothing is belabored, the thorny questions of right and wrong bubbling under the surface without ever being declaimed.

Jackman has simply never been better than as this true believer forced to question his beliefs. Effortlessly, the Australian actor projects a solid, rugged Americanness, the acme of a man whose home is his castle and who sees himself as his family’s protector. It is a performance void of vanity or the desire to be loved by the audience, and moment to moment it is exhilarating to watch. In just a handful of scenes each, Bello and Davis suggest the full, inexpressible weight of motherly grief. Leo, given a role rife with opportunities to ham it up, instead plays things with the sober conviction of a disappointed life, another standout in a movie with nary a squandered performance in the mix.

In addition to Deakins’ stellar work, longtime Clint Eastwood editors Joel Cox and Gary Roach have done a formidable job of assembling the pic’s densely constructed narrative web. Score by Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson (also making his big-studio debut) strikes just the right haunting, mournful notes.

Reviewed at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Calif., Aug. 27, 2013. (In Telluride Film Festival; Toronto Film Festival — Special Presentations.) MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 153 MIN.

• Production: A Warner Bros. release of an Alcon Entertainment presentation of an 8:38 Prods./Madhouse Entertainment production. Produced by Broderick Johnson, Kira Davis, Andrew A. Kosove, Adam Kolbrenner. Co-producer, Steven P. Wegner. Executive producers, Edward L. McDonnell, John H. Starke, Robyn Meisinger, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson.
• Crew: Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Screenplay, Aaron Guzikowski. Camera (Deluxe color, 35mm), Roger Deakins; editors, Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach; music, Johann Johannsson; music supervisor, Deva Anderson; production designer, Patrice Vermette; art director, Paul Kelly; set decorator, Frank Galline; set designers, Mayumi Konishi-Valentine, Aaron Linker; costume designer, Renee April; sound (Datasat/Dolby Digital/SDDS), Mary H. Ellis; sound designer, Tom Ozanich; supervising sound editor, Alan Robert Murray; re-recording mixers, John Reitz, Greg Rudloff; visual effects, Pacific Title & Art Studio, Luma Pictures; stunt coordinator, Steven Ritzi; assistant director, Donald L. Sparks; casting, Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee
• With: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, Paul Dano, Dylan Minnette, Zoe Soul, Erin Gerasimovich, Kyla-Drew Simmons, Wayne Duvall, Len Cariou, David Dastmalchian.

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Prisoners Reviews

The tense thriller that put its director on the map...

Full Review | Sep 29, 2023

While the resolution is close to being predictable... the movie's strong suit is something else. The process, the content, and the journey are profoundly immersive. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Dec 7, 2022

“Prisoners” offers some slick foreboding, crafty twists, and a satisfying ending.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 24, 2022

An absorbing, skillfully made drama.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 22, 2022

Filmed like a horror film, and with a mood to match, Prisoners is haunting and will stick with you.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 22, 2021

Despite a kidnapping premise that has the strength and suspense to pull viewers in, the running time offers a drastic disservice.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Dec 4, 2020

There is a level of bleakness to Villeneuve's film that one usually only sees in the film cultures of Japan and South Korea - a willingness to take a narrative one step further than its audience might be comfortable taking.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Oct 8, 2020

The film's real powerhouse performance may very well come from Jake Gyllenhaal.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Sep 20, 2020

"Prisoners" is a mystery that is as physically and emotionally pulverizing to you the viewer as it is to the characters.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jul 8, 2020

Prisoners is a dark, tense and brutal movie.

Full Review | Jul 7, 2020

'Prisoners' is an absorbing thriller that knows how to channel the emotional energy of its characters once they are cornered by the heartbreaking narrative maze that it possesses. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Jun 25, 2020

This gripping rust-belt thriller has us fear for the fates of a trio of besieged souls...

Full Review | Jun 19, 2020

A superior thriller, made with real intelligence and raw feeling.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 31, 2020

Villeneuve's direction saves Prisoners from falling into Alex Cross drivel. Like in Incendies, he knows how to keep a story moving and make us long for the truth.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.6/5 | Nov 20, 2019

Stuffed to the gills with child abduction, overmedicated depression and familial implosions, director Denis Villeneuve's bloated whodunit is a puppy suicide away from the most joyless way to spend well over two hours.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Aug 27, 2019

Occasionally I got lost in the labyrinthine plot twists, but at almost two-and-a-half hours there's not an ounce of fat on its gripping narrative.

Full Review | Aug 7, 2019

Gyllenhaal begins and ends with the same dogged determination, the same pessimism and thinly veiled anger, and the same moral center. Kudos to him, as the actor must build character subtext out of scant scripted development.

Full Review | Jul 31, 2019

Prisoners can be quite good when it chooses to be a regular thriller. Unfortunately it decides to try for more, and comes up short in doing so.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Jun 22, 2019

A slow burning powder keg of mystery and emotion that winds up the audience and never lets it go.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jun 9, 2019

For all its bells and whistles, Prisoners feels more like a middle-of-the-road episode of "Law and Order" than a film that wants to be a mystery wrapped in a moral dilemma.

Full Review | Apr 9, 2019

Movie review: ‘Prisoners’ is captivating and relentless

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Like the kidnapping at the tortured heart of “Prisoners,” once this chilling thriller about a parent’s worst nightmare grabs you, it refuses to let go.

Even if the film wasn’t coming out just months after the May rescue of three kidnapped women in Cleveland, held for a decade by a madman, we know the real world has monsters far more frightening than any Hollywood can manufacture.

Reality informs “Prisoners” at every turn. French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve and screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski keep the tightly constructed terror twisting by holding it close.

There are excellent performances from a well-seasoned cast including Viola Davis, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello and Melissa Leo. But the linchpins for the devastation wrought in the film are Hugh Jackman as an anguished father, Jake Gyllenhaal as the frustrated detective with whom he locks horns, and Paul Dano as the man suspected of snatching two young girls.

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“Prisoners” begins innocently enough on Thanksgiving Day. Keller Dover (Jackman) and Franklin Birch (Howard) are lifelong friends. Now married with children, they live just down the block from each other in a Pennsylvania suburb where kids play carefree. Dinner is at the Birches — good friends, good food, good times.

Savor it. This is the last good moment the filmmakers allow.

It is late afternoon. The teenagers, Ralph Dover (Dylan Minnette) and Eliza Birch (Zoe Soul) are collapsed in front of a TV. The adults, Keller and wife Grace (Bello), Franklin and wife Nancy (Davis), are in one of those conversations you imagine they pick up every time they’re together.

Six-year-old Anna Dover (Erin Gerasimovich) and 7-year-old Joy Birch (Kyla-Drew Simmons) are bundles of energy, begging to make a toy run to the Dover’s house.

And then they are gone.

It takes a while to realize the girls are missing. But panic and fear are fast in coming. That scene — where it first sinks in — has a very “there but for the grace of God” feel. These are watchful parents. Each eventually becomes a template for the ways a child in jeopardy can change you.

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A sliver of hope comes in the form of a tenacious detective named Loki (Gyllenhaal). There is also a suspect, Alex Jones (Dano), who is quickly in custody.

And then hope dies.

After 48 hours and no progress, Loki releases Alex over Keller’s outraged protest. Jackman, who gives the performance of his career, spends the rest of the film as a desperate father going rogue to save his child.

This is no “Taken,” where the dad is a black-ops specialist, schooled in the art of tracking and torturing to find a missing daughter. The people in “Prisoners” are salt-of-the-earth types, not equipped to find their girls and certainly not prepared to cope with the tragedy that is overwhelming them.

A very different sort of family drama first put the director on the map. “Incendies,” with its cross-cultural intrigues and Muslim-Christian conflicts, earned an Oscar nomination for foreign language film in 2011. The polish and precision of “Prisoners” should keep Villeneuve there.

Shot under a cold gray sky by acclaimed cinematographer Roger A. Deakins, the mood of despair never lifts. Keller’s decision to take matters into his own hands sets the course. He’s become convinced Alex is the key.

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A strange, shy and nearly nonverbal young man still living with his aunt Holly (Leo), Alex is an easy mark when it comes to villains. So it’s not all that hard to get behind Keller’s idea to pick up the interrogation the cops dropped.

But things go badly almost from the start when Alex doesn’t break as Keller thought he would. The larger question that begins to gather force as the action evolves is whether Keller is right to do what he is doing — even if Alex is involved, even with the children’s lives at stake. Or worse, what if Keller is wrong about Alex entirely?

The filmmakers don’t make it easy to stay on Keller’s side. Horrific brutality and unrelenting torture become the state of play as the desperation rises and the days tick past.

At home, Grace slips into a permanent haze of pills, barely able to get out of bed, much less notice her husband’s long absences. It is left to the Birches to stand as the conflicted conscience of the film. Screenwriter Guzikowski tucks endless moral dilemmas into very smart dialogue as they grapple with what Keller is doing and their role in it.

Like everyone else, Det. Loki is a complex man with a lot on his mind. That he occupies any space on-screen is a credit to Gyllenhaal, who continues to power through the darker roles he’s favored lately. The actor tempers Loki’s confidence with a twinge of doubt — about Alex, about Keller, about himself — and in doing so keeps his cop interesting. Meanwhile, Dano seems born to play damaged souls, though he’s never reached such animalistic levels before.

Jackman, though, is unforgettable as the father whose certainty never wavers. You feel Keller’s resolve harden, his anguish deepen and his spine stiffen. Not even the actor’s Oscar-nominated performance in “Les Misérables” is as compelling.

Exciting, terrifying, worrisome stuff saturates every second of “Prisoners,” holding you captive, keeping you guessing until the bitter end.

[email protected]

‘Prisoners’

MPAA rating: R for disturbing violent content including torture, and language throughout

Running time: 2 hours, 26 minutes

Playing: In general release

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Prisoners Review

27 Sep 2013

146 minutes

Having earned an Oscar nomination for his last film, Incendies, French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve crosses the border for his English-language debut, Prisoners, a very American crime mystery. Villeneuve’s never been the cheeriest of filmmakers, so his portrait of US suburbia squats beneath dirty-white skies, draped in a thin snow that you know will never make for good angels.

The subject matter is inherently stark, concerning the mysterious disappearance of two girls. But this isn’t a straight investigation — when are they ever? — as the cops arrest the likely abductor just a few scenes later: a greasy-haired creep with a Michael Jackson voice and “the IQ of a ten-year-old” played by Paul Dano. So it can’t be him, right? Too obvious? The father of one of the girls, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), would disagree, and being a good, Christian, American survivalist, with gas masks and bags of lime in the basement, takes matters into his own hands. On his release due to lack of evidence, Dano’s Alex Jones is abducted and incarcerated in Dover’s DIY torture dungeon until he gives up the girls’ location. Meanwhile, the investigation continues by loner cop Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal).

Prisoners is a smartly structured, solidly performed thriller, executing intertwining races against time — to save both the girls, and prove Alex’s innocence or guilt — within the same psychological labyrinth. And the political undercurrent is not hard to detect: Dover is the America that invaded Iraq, believing his grief-fuelled quest for justice places him beyond morality and the law.

Back on the surface, there are all the expected turns and twists, and anyone familiar with the genre will sniff out one particularly plump red herring. Also, it is a shame the film resorts to the cliché of a character spotting a vital clue after throwing all their files to the floor in frustration. But Villeneuve and writer Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband) keep you engaged while they keep you guessing, never allowing either the tension, or the grimness, to relent.

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Dark, disturbing, and dramatic.  This is one of the best films of 2013 that deserves your money, time, and attention.

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• DVD & Streaming
• Drama , Mystery/Suspense

Content Caution

In Theaters

• September 20, 2013
• Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover; Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki; Viola Davis as Nancy Birch; Maria Bello as Grace Dover; Terrence Howard as Franklin Birch; Paul Dano as Alex Jones; Len Cariou as Father Patrick Dunn; Melissa Leo as Holly Jones

Home Release Date

• December 17, 2013
• Denis Villeneuve

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Keller Dover is the kind of guy you wouldn’t mind living just down the street from. He’s a hard-working carpenter, a God-fearing fellow who loves his family, supports his wife, cares for his friends and neighbors, and teaches his kids the important things of life. He’s the kind of man who thinks ahead—a guy who stores up food and supplies in his basement just in case the unexpected happens. ‘Cause like his dad always said, you gotta be ready!

Keller wasn’t ready, however, for his daughter to go missing. Her disappearance blindsided the Dover family like a runaway truck. They were all over at a neighbor’s house enjoying Thanksgiving when out of the blue both his little Anna and the neighbor’s girl, Joy, were just … gone.

They called the police, of course. But the cops weren’t much help. And by the time the first day had gone by, things were beginning to look dire. The only lead the police could come up with was a greasy, damaged-looking teen who was driving aimlessly around in a dirty old RV. He was just some loser who seemed to have the mental capacity of a 10-year-old. So after a stiff round of questioning, all the cops could do was let the creepy kid go.

By then the investigation was crossing over into day three. And Keller Dover had crossed over from doting dad to frightened father. Things were getting darker for him by the minute. Those poor, sweet girls were out there somewhere, and each passing hour of inaction meant a smaller chance that they’d ever come back alive.

And it wasn’t like that kid with the RV was so innocent. “They didn’t cry until I left.” That’s what the guy said right to Keller’s face when the police let him go. Nobody else seemed to hear it, but Keller did. There’s more to be found there, Keller’s sure of it. But everybody around him is just sitting on their hands, saying there’s no stinking evidence. There’s nothing to be done!

Well, Keller knows what must be done. The cops may not have the stomach to pry the truth out of this loser, but Keller does. And he’s got the vacant building and all the tools to get the job done right. He’s never been a man prone to violence. But when it’s your kid on the line, a man has to be ready.

Positive Elements

This is a dark, dark pic with some very ugly moments. But it features a man who prays repeatedly, deeply loves his family and readily makes whatever personal sacrifices are necessary to rescue his young daughter.

It’s also quite clear that Detective Loki, the man assigned to the missing girls’ case, is a dedicated cop who invests himself totally in solving the crimes set before him. He desperately works to save the missing kids and puts his own life in danger to save a girl from a lethal injection.

The film also raises compelling questions about the devastating impact of immoral choices. We’re shown one person who is a picture of evil incarnate, another who struggles but is almost totally consumed by a form of that same slowly corrupting evil, and a third who blanches at his own foul actions and ultimately turns away from them.

Spiritual Elements

It’s made perfectly clear that there is a very real spiritual war going on around us, even though we may not see it obviously at work in our day-to-day lives. Keller prays and prays and prays. We hear him lifting up the Lord’s Prayer while he and his son are in the woods hunting. He asks for God’s forgiveness in the heat of his horrible misdeeds. And even when he’s in the midst of a situation that will likely result in his own death, he falls to his knees and prays for the seemingly impossible safety of his dear daughter.

On the other side of the battle, we’re told twice that the kidnapping and murder of children is the way a wicked person wages “a war against God.” It’s stated that that kind of evil can figuratively turn good people into demons. (And we see that happen.)

Keller wears a cross, and Det. Loki has one tattooed on his hand. A local priest stores large religious statues in his basement, and we see candles bearing the image of Jesus.

Sexual & romantic Content

Violent content.

It’s not giving anything away to report that Keller grabs the creepy kid Alex and tortures him for information about the missing girls. We see the man strike Alex repeatedly, slam him violently into walls and the floor, trap him in an enclosed shower device and scald him with a steaming spray, and threaten to break his bones with a hammer. We also see the swollen-eyed, dribbling-blood results of this dreadful pummeling. (It should be noted that this drawn-out torment is especially uncomfortable to watch because we’re not quite sure if Alex is a really a vicious villain or merely the mentally handicapped boy that he appears to be.)

A partially mummified corpse is found tied up in a basement. Several trunks are filled with bloodied children’s clothes and large snakes. A man is shot in the leg and forced to jump into a deep hole. A forehead wound makes Loki’s face bleed profusely. He slams a suspect face-first into a wall, breaking the perp’s nose. He also mashes the man’s head down on an interview table. He shoots another criminal, splattering her brains all over the wall. A man puts a pistol in his mouth and commits a very messy suicide.

Alex tries to elude the police and crashes his RV into a tree, driving a large limb through the front window of the vehicle. A boy yanks a small dog off the ground by its throat, choking and torturing the whimpering animal. A young teen shoots a deer. We see a pig’s head draining of blood in a kitchen sink.

Crude or Profane Language

Close to 50 f-words, a dozen s-words and two or three uses each of “h‑‑‑” and “a‑‑.” God’s and Jesus’ names are misused a handful of times; God’s is combined with “d‑‑n” twice.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Keller’s wife is so distraught that she’s kept drugged with prescription meds; she stumbles about with slurred speech. Keller responds by buying booze and swilling straight from the bottle. We see him eventually pass out from his excess.

The Dovers and Birches drink alcohol during their Thanksgiving festivities. The local police captain pours a tall drink in his office to celebrate the end of a case. Loki finds the priest drunk on the floor, empty bottles lining the table tops in the man’s home.

A young girl is injected with a powerful drug that almost kills her. We see the numbing effects of a lesser dose of the stuff on others.

Other noteworthy Elements

Keller attempts to bring his reluctant neighbor in on Alex’s torture by telling him that it must be done or their girls will likely die. “He’s not a person anymore,” he insists.

Innocents are in danger. Evil is afoot and running wild. An angry “hero” attempts to beat the truth out of his handiest target. That’s the kind of Hollywood vengeance-movie formula that we’ve seen play out so many times before.

In this case, though, things aren’t as cut and dried as we may be used to. Just like real life, a heinous baddie isn’t so simple to spot in this crowd. The take-action choices aren’t so clear or easy to emotionally defend.

In fact, Prisoners’ twisting and turning missing-child mystery leaves us with dizzying questions of right and wrong. It smudges the charcoal line between hero and villain. It challenges us to evaluate the choices we make. And it leaves us to consider how evil can surreptitiously slip into our world and corrupt even the best of men through impassioned fear and convulsing rage.

Getting to those walk-out-of-the-theater introspections, however, is a jarring and treacherous and very messy journey. The tale’s serial killer revelations are unsettling to say the least, the language coarsely foul, and the literal torture sessions, along with their aftermath visuals, are, well, torturous.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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Movie Review: Prisoners (2013)

• Greg Eichelberger
• Movie Reviews
• 4 responses
• --> September 29, 2013

A father with nothing to lose.

How far would you go to find your child if he or she were missing? What laws would or should a parent break to make sure they could have their babies back again? These are the fundamental questions asked in the newest film directed by Denis Villeneuve (“ Incendies “), Prisoners , which tells the tale of a couple who have to deal with the sudden disappearance of their daughter.

And while the answers may not be as satisfying and/or as cut-and-dried as many of us would like (especially those who do have kids), the journey — while a bit long and convoluted at times (it is sort of a “ Gone Baby Gone ” meets “ The Silence of the Lambs “) — it is nevertheless fascinating and populated with terrific performances, so don’t be surprised if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences comes calling with a few nods next January.

Hugh Jackman (“ Les Misérables “) and Maria Bello (“ Grown Ups 2 “) are Keller and Grace Dover, who discover their six-year-old daughter, Anna, and her friend, Joy, are missing. After several days, however, the parents are naturally becoming more and more frantic. Enter Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal, “ End of Watch “), who has no life and therefore is the best at what he does — relocating missing persons. Following up on a lead, he tracks down an old RV that was recently parked on the Dover’s street (it turns out the girls were playing on it before they went missing), and arrests the owner, the mentally defective Alex Jones (Paul Dano, “ Looper “).

Much to the chagrin of Keller, though, the police are forced to release Jones after 48 hours because there is no real evidence to continue to hold him, plus they do not think he has the wits to kidnap two little girls, keep them quiet AND outwit the cops.

Incensed, Keller resorts to what he believes is his only option, kidnapping Jones himself and torturing him into revealing what he knows about the alleged abduction. These scenes, along with the parents’ reaction after the girls do not return home are among the most riveting and graphic of the film. What Keller does to Alex in an attempt to gain information seems justified and necessary to anyone who has children, but repellent to anyone who believes in basic human rights. It’s a thin line Villeneuve tries to walk — with varied success. It also begs the question of just how effective torture actually is, considering most people — after a while and enough pain — would confess to just about anything.

Extracting answers.

Dark and oppressive, yet equally suspenseful and powerful, Prisoners may not have the best ending and may leave many with a bad taste, but it is effective as a thriller nonetheless. Jackman is both sympathetic and compelling as the father driven beyond all reason to find his daughter; Dano shines as the illiterate man-child who may know more than we think, while Gyllenhaal gives his best performance since “ Zodiac .”

The pacing too is a bit choppy, it could have used about 20 minutes shaven from its length and is certainly not a wonderful time at the theater, but Prisoners is a picture that will definitely be on many “Best Of . . . ” lists and will most likely be nominated in several categories come award time, so it’s worth a look on the big screen.

Tagged: kidnap , parent , torture , vigilante

I have been a movie fan for most of my life and a film critic since 1986 (my first published review was for "Platoon"). Since that time I have written for several news and entertainment publications in California, Utah and Idaho. Big fan of the Academy Awards - but wish it would go back to the five-minute dinner it was in May, 1929. A former member of the San Diego Film Critics Society and current co-host of "The Movie Guys," each Sunday afternoon on KOGO AM 600 in San Diego with Kevin Finnerty.

Movie Review: Despicable Me 3 (2017) Movie Review: Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) Movie Review: All Eyez On Me (2017) Movie Review: The Mummy (2017) Movie Review: Baywatch (2017) Movie Review: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Movie Review: The Promise (2016)

'Movie Review: Prisoners (2013)' have 4 comments

September 29, 2013 @ 10:17 pm Meditating Priest

There is too much time between release and awards for this to win but I agree with you both Gyllenhaal and Jackman give strong performances.

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September 30, 2013 @ 2:30 pm IBRoach

So does Dano.

September 29, 2013 @ 11:04 pm is simms

Cruel movie. There are some heavy themes involved that aren’t pleasant to see on screen.

September 30, 2013 @ 6:20 am NoHurdle

After watching this last week, I decided my kids were never leaving the house again.

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‘Prisoners’ (2013) Movie Review

By Brad Brevet

Your child has been kidnapped and a suspect has been brought in for questioning. His battered RV was parked in your neighborhood around the same time your 6-year-old daughter went missing. After a couple of days, several rounds of questioning and a lie detector test it’s determined he wasn’t involved and is released. No other suspects exist, your girl is still missing and your spouse is a blubbering mess. What do you do?

Prepare for dark territory with Denis Villeneuve ‘s Prisoners , a film where one father offers his response to the question above as an increasingly mysterious case surrounding his daughter’s disappearance unfolds. In terms of tone, Prisoners is operating on the same dark level as David Fincher ‘s Zodiac and Roger Deakins delivers some of the best cinematography of his career, turning something as trivial as a car coming to a curbside stop into a foreboding dolly shot. Even tree bark offers up riddles of its own.

Set during the grey and gloomy months of a Pennsylvanian November, we’re introduced to Keller and Grace Dover ( Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello ) and Franklin and Nancy Birch ( Terrence Howard and Viola Davis ) and their respective families. It’s Thanksgiving and as the day wears the two soon-to-be victims ask if they can briefly run back to the Dovers’. Permission is granted, but not without their big brother and sister. The exception is noted, but not obeyed. They head back alone. They don’t come back.

After an exhaustive search, the only suspect is the curious driver of the aforementioned RV, Alex Jones ( Paul Dano ). Greasy and soft-spoken, Alex has the IQ of a ten-year-old and claims to have no knowledge of the children’s whereabouts and is eventually allowed to go home with his adoptive mother ( Melissa Leo ). As you may guess, this doesn’t go over too well with the little girls’ parents, Keller in particular.

Jackman is rage personified. Any one of his incarnations as the comic book antihero Wolverine would run from Keller Dover. He’s a father that will stop at nothing to get his little girl back and God be with anyone that gets in his way.

On the other side of the story is Detective Loki ( Jake Gyllenhaal ), a man whose personal life is a bit more grey. Initially seen alone in a diner on Thanksgiving night, he gets the call to investigate Alex’s RV parked near a wooded area. His methods seem sound and he’s determined to get the two missing girls back, but there’s nothing he can say or do that will convince Keller absolutely everything is being done.

For those that have seen the trailer and believe the film has been spoiled, it hasn’t. The latter half offers a lot more to chew on including turns in the narrative and questions of morality that are both answered and left open to interpretation. To top it off, the performances across the board are stellar with Jackman and Gyllenhaal offering some of the best work I’ve seen from either of them, both worthy of Oscar attention. Jackman especially deserving of consideration along with a sneaky little gem of a performance from Melissa Leo.

Along with the cinematography from Deakins, which is sure to earn him his 11th Oscar nomination, the score from little known Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson , contributing for the first time to a major motion picture, brings a heightened level of menace to Deakins’ cool greys and rain soaked pavement.

There is something, however, about Prisoners that keeps me from really falling for it and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it has to do with the overall efficiency of Villeneuve’s direction, opposite a few coincidences that come up over the course of the nearly 150-minute running time that contradict how effective the rest of the film is. It’s not fair, but the film is almost a victim of its own success in this case. Minor details end up amplified as a result, but given the complexity of the narrative, the performances, exceedingly high level of filmmaking and the balance of emotions, Prisoners is not a film to be missed.

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Prisoners (2013)

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Prisoners (United States, 2013)

Whodunits are rarely a good playground for Hollywood films. The average mystery, whether a stripped-down Agatha Christie-esque tale or a more complex endeavor, is too demanding for the structural constraints of a motion picture. As a result, when one is attempted, it's usually not difficult to identify the criminal and map out the general trajectory of the narrative. Running length and the concept of "conservation of characters" become stumbling blocks. Successes like Prisoners occur from time to time, but they are exceptions. This particular whodunit works in large part because it's interested in exploring more than just the question of which character is responsible for the crime. Aaron Gruzikowski's script, as brought to the screen by Canadian-born director Denis Villeneuve, examines issues of guilt, innocence, and desperation.

Last year, it was rightfully argued that the "Oscar race" began with the release of Argo in early October. This year, the race starts a couple weeks earlier with the opening of Prisoners . Barring a truly phenomenal fourth quarter, it's hard to imagine Prisoners not being one of the titles among the Best Picture nominees. As mystery/thrillers go, this one falls into the "prestige" area. The screenplay is smart, the execution is impeccable, and the holes are few and far between. Best of all, it lacks the cookie-cutter element that infects too many of these movies. Although I figured out the puzzle before its explicit reveal, I didn't put the final piece into place until shortly before that moment. It's rare that a movie keeps me guessing that long.

As satisfying as Prisoners is from a mystery standpoint, some will find it tough going. The subject matter - child abduction and possible child murder and/or abuse - will make some viewers uncomfortable to the point where they may not be able to watch the entire thing. There are no graphic scenes of child mistreatment but the importance of the topic to the narrative may be upsetting for some viewers. Prisoners isn't a "feel good" experience. It's dark, straying into the territory where David Fincher enjoys spinning his yarns. The presence of Jake Gyllenhaal creates unintentional echoes of Zodiac .

There's nothing simple or straightforward about the story except the way it starts. Two neighboring western Pennsylvania families gather for Thanksgiving dinner. The Dovers, headed by father Keller (Hugh Jackman) and mother Grace (Maria Bello), visit the Birches, where dad Franklin (Terrence Howard) and mom Nancy (Viola Davis) preside over a huge repast. After dinner, as the adults are talking and the teenagers are watching TV, the two young girls - Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) and Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons) - go outside. Time passes and they don't return. At first, no one is alarmed but, after a quick reconnaissance of the neighborhood doesn't turn them up, they call the police. Enter Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), a lonely cop with a reputation for solving cases. The initial clues point to a suspect, Alex Jones (Paul Dano), but it turns out that he lacks the mental capacity to successfully orchestrate a kidnapping. Nevertheless, circumstantial evidence points to his involvement and a grief-stricken Keller decides that if the police can't or won't wring a confession from Alex, he'll do it himself.

We've seen this sort of thing before, most powerfully in the Paradise Lost documentaries - how the public need to "solve" a crime can trump the innocence of suspect. Closure demands the identification of a malefactor. The problem is that no matter how convincing the case may be against that person, it isn't always everything and the truth may lie in the missing pieces. The most compelling argument against capital punishment is that you can't resurrect a wrongly executed man. There's something of that in Prisoners .

The narrative is strewn with seemingly disconnected clues and unanswered questions. Does Alex whisper something to Keller during an encounter and, if so, what does he say? Who lives in the house near where the alleged abduction takes place? What secret is the alcoholic priest hiding? Who is the mysterious figure at the vigil? What are the significances of mazes and snakes? And what's the role of God and religion in all this? Gruzikowski's screenplay ties these elements together with precision. In hindsight, it's easy to see how everything falls neatly into place. Nothing about Prisoners is haphazard or poorly thought out.

The cast is remarkable. Five of the seven principal cast members own previous Oscar nominations. (The exceptions are Maria Bello and Paul Dano.) With such a powerhouse roster, one expects strong performances, and those are forthcoming. Hugh Jackman in particular is noteworthy - he shows more depth than in any previous high-profile role, including Les Miserables , for which he received his nomination. Jake Gyllenhaal brings his craft to a new level as a world-weary detective who would have been at home in a classic film noir. Bello, Dano, Viola Davis, Terence Howard, and Melissa Leo all contribute effective supporting work. If there's a blotch - and it's a small one, to be sure - it's that the makeup used to age Leo looks like, well, makeup used to make someone look old.

Prisoners is a thriller for grown-ups. This is the only time of the year when we get those. It doesn't pander to the least common denominator. It doesn't shirk from asking difficult questions and tackling uncomfortable issues. It isn’t afraid of generating an emotional response but doesn't manipulate the audience to get it. Most of all, it's unconcerned about the frustration that might arise from an inconclusive ending. Denis Villeneuve has made the film he wanted to and, refreshingly, it defies many of Hollywood's tenets about what constitutes "crowd pleasing." Powerful movies are often disconcerting, and Prisoners is no exception.

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Common Sense Media Review

Engrossing revenge thriller is very violent and intense.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Prisoners is a brutally intense crime thriller/revenge film starring Hugh Jackman. Characters make unthinkable choices to find their missing kids, and there's frequent bloody violence. In addition to the central kidnapping of two little girls, people are shot and killed (or kill…

Why Age 18+?

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "damn it,"

Many scenes of bloody torture and imprisonment, including close-ups of a chained

Adults drink, sometimes to excess. A priest is so drunk on whiskey that he's bas

A few vehicle brands -- Ford Crown Victoria, Trans-Am.

Two married couples are affectionate, but they usually embrace out of grief rath

Any Positive Content?

Sometimes otherwise moral people make murky (and even illegal) choices in order

All of the parents in the movie are flawed and confused. They're desperate for t

Frequent strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "damn it," "hell," "goddamn," "oh my God," etc.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Many scenes of bloody torture and imprisonment, including close-ups of a chained and brutally beat-up man's face, a young man who shoots himself in the head, a man forced to drink a sedative, a girl who's about to be poisoned to death, the screams and cries of victims, and police killing a criminal. A father yells angrily and curses at his son. People are shot, bludgeoned, tortured with scalding or freezing water, and imprisoned. Young girls are missing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults drink, sometimes to excess. A priest is so drunk on whiskey that he's basically passed out on the floor, and a man who says he hasn't had a drink in nine years then starts to drink regularly. An upset mother takes sleeping pills and other prescription opiates. A kidnapper forces prisoners to consume a drug-laced drink.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Sex, romance & nudity.

Two married couples are affectionate, but they usually embrace out of grief rather than passion. A very brief glimpse of a teen girl in a tub (just her head and shoulders).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Sometimes otherwise moral people make murky (and even illegal) choices in order to take justice into their own hands -- particularly when their loved ones' lives are at stake. Keller tells his son that the only thing standing between a man and a sudden threat is his ability to protect himself and those he loves.

Positive Role Models

All of the parents in the movie are flawed and confused. They're desperate for their girls and in some cases feel compelled to do unthinkable things to get closer to information on their whereabouts.

Parents need to know that Prisoners is a brutally intense crime thriller/revenge film starring Hugh Jackman . Characters make unthinkable choices to find their missing kids, and there's frequent bloody violence. In addition to the central kidnapping of two little girls, people are shot and killed (or kill themselves), beaten to an unrecognizable pulp, and tortured in various ways. One man shoots himself in the head, and a police officer must shoot a suspect. There's frequent strong language ("f--k," "s--t," "a--hole"), as well as excessive alcohol use by adults and some use of pills and other drugs. The movie's disturbing themes and unflinching violence make it best suited for adults and possibly some very mature teens. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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• Parents say (22)
• Kids say (51)

Based on 22 parent reviews

Disturbing, Gripping Thriller has Violence

What's the story.

PRISONERS follows Pennsylvanian carpenter Keller Dover ( Hugh Jackman ), who strongly believes in hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. And that's just what happens on Thanksgiving, while Keller and his wife, Grace ( Maria Bello ), celebrate the holiday with their neighbors, Franklin and Nancy Birch ( Terrence Howard , Viola Davis ). After dinner, Keller's daughter, Anna (Erin Gerasimovich), and Franklin's little girl, Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons), walk back to the Dovers' house alone, even though they were told to ask their teen siblings to accompany them. Unable to find the girls, Keller's son, Ralph (Dylan Minnette), mentions a suspicious, idling RV the kids encountered earlier in the day. Once the cops are involved, Detective Loki ( Jake Gyllenhaal ) finds the RV and its driver, Alex Jones ( Paul Dano ), a mentally disabled adult with no criminal record. Alex is released, but Keller is convinced that the young man knows more than he's letting on. Keller manages to kidnap and imprison Alex and then convinces a horrified Franklin that if they don't torture Alex for information, they'll never find their girls.

Is It Any Good?

Prisoners is a thinking audience's revenge film -- that is, if moviegoers (particularly parents) can stomach the subject matter. It's long, disturbing, and nerve-wracking to watch, but the performances, the imagery, and the fabulous cinematography (courtesy of 10-time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins) make it worth sitting through all of the angst, violence, and horror. Jackman is unforgettable as Keller, a God-fearing carpenter who can do so much with his hands -- including beating an unarmed, mentally disabled younger man until he's no longer recognizable. These are the things he believes a father must do when the police fail to see what his gut is telling him is true.

In contrast to Jackman's Keller is Howard's Franklin, a father who doesn't love his daughter any less but doesn't want to bloody his hands (though he's willing to stand by and watch). This thriller has lots of twists and turns for suspense fans, but its true artistry is in the sometimes-sickening character development, which reveals the depths to which people will go when their children's safety is on the line, when their faith is in tatters, and when all hope is nearly lost. The two-and-a-half-hour runtime isn't quite merited, but French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve has woven a gripping, if terrifying, tale that explores the heart and actions of a well-intentioned but extreme vigilante.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the popularity of revenge movies, particularly ones in which fathers take justice into their own hands to save their kids. Why do these movies speak to audiences? Do the ends ever justify the means?

What is Prisoners saying about morality and justice? How is Keller's vigilantism depicted? Is he intended to be a sympathetic character?

The two fathers are portrayed as foils: One is willing to do something illegal/immoral for the sake of finding his daughter, while the other doesn't want to cross any lines. Which one did you find more believable? Does the film "judge" either man?

Discuss the role of gender in the story. Which characters acted like stereotypical men or women? Which characters twisted the traditional associations with a particular gender?

Movie Details

• In theaters : September 20, 2013
• On DVD or streaming : December 17, 2013
• Cast : Hugh Jackman , Jake Gyllenhaal , Terrence Howard
• Director : Denis Villeneuve
• Inclusion Information : Black actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Thriller
• Run time : 146 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : disturbing violent content including torture, and language throughout
• Last updated : July 25, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Prisoners 2013 Movie Review (spoiler alert)

22 September 2014

Tina Dubinsky

When a movie has me cringing in my seat with horror, hand over my open mouth and eyes preparing to shut out what comes next, it sure as hell has my attention. “ Prisoners ” a Warner Bros. Pictures’ movie released in 2013, definitely hit that spot tonight.

Starring Australian born, Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) and Jake Gyllenhaal  (Rendition), the trailer for this movie made my stomach churn. The story about two six-year-old girls who go missing, thought to be kidnapped by the driver of an RV wasn’t really a story I wanted to watch, seeing as how my daughter is six years old. But watch it we did and while an hour later I am still feeling disturbed, the development of the movie was superb.

Admittedly, just into the opening credits of the movie, I pinned the whole story as being a “mistaken identity scenario”, with the children accidentally locked away in a neighbor’s white trailer. I even wrote my brilliant deduction down on my iPhone, so I could show it to my husband when the movie finished. This reasoning may have helped me to remain calm and continue watching the movie as the story slowly unfolded into day six of the children’s disappearance.

Just as disturbing as the children’s disappearance is the tortured reaction of Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), father of one of the missing girls. Driven by an almost OCD behaviour to prepare for extreme disasters, Keller engages in severe and questionable tactics to get to the truth. Taking the law into his own hands he tries to find the answers to their disappearance, while maintaining hope that the girls are still alive.

Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) has his hands full with Keller’s dismissive and suspicious behavior. When the first lead appears clean, Detective Loki battles with police bureaucracy and begins a one-man investigation into the area’s known sex offenders. This reveals at least one skeleton and a new mystery for the Detective to solve. The pressure is on for Detective Loki who has until now, had an unbroken record for solving crimes.

I have read a  movie review  which questions the message of this movie. Honestly, I think the message is pretty clear.  How far would you go to protect your family? The actions of Keller Drover left me feeling extremely concerned for an unlikely victim. Yet, put into a similar situation, I’d like to think I would do everything I could to find and save my daughter.

Prisoners’ Viewing time

2 hours 34 minutes

iTunes Australia

Movie Genre

This review first appeared at U-Foria.com –  Appreciating the finer things in everyday life – posted on March 7 2014.

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Australian Author Tina Dubinsky is an inspirational writer who climbed the corporate ladder from telemarketer to human resource manager. Tina writes across multiple genres including including creative nonfiction, memoir, short stories and real life writing such as commerical writing. In 2012, she swapped her corporate desk for one at home and continues to create with words.

© TINA DUBINSKY 2012 TO 2024

7 best Denis Villeneuve movies, ranked

Our picks for the best movies directed by Denis Villeneuve

Is there a director with a better hit rate right now than Denis Villeneuve? The French-Canadian filmmaker has been on an impressive run of critically acclaimed films for the last 15 years, as the 56-year-old raises the bar with each project. Villeneuve is best known for his technical prowess, a true visionary filmmaker who excels in sci-fi, thrillers, and war dramas. Villeneuve makes auteur-driven stories at the major studio level that become events for the general public. Only Christopher Nolan shares that distinction. 

Villeneuve’s career spans over 25 years, starting in 1998 with “August 32nd on Earth.” After directing four French dramas to start his career, Villeneuve crossed into Hollywood and began making English-language films in 2013 with “Enemy” and “Prisoners.” In honor of “Dune: Part Two,” we ranked Villeneuve’s seven best films since 2013. With apologies to fans of “Incendies,” this list only consists of the director’s English-language films since 2013. 

Are we our own worst enemies? This thought-provoking question is the heart of “Enemy,” Villeneuve’s psychological horror starring Jake Gyllenhaal in a dual role. Adam Bell is a dejected Toronto college professor who discovers his doppelganger in a movie, an actor named Anthony Claire. Adam stalks Anthony and becomes obsessed with his life. 

The two men finally meet in a hotel room and marvel over their identicalness. Their lives become intertwined as both men seek comfort in their partners: Helen (Mélanie Laurent), Adam’s girlfriends, and Helen (Sarah Gadon), Anthony’s pregnant wife. Fans of “Mulholland Drive” and “Memento” will enjoy “Enemy,” a cat-and-mouse thriller with a memorable yet polarizing ending. 

Watch on Hulu

6. 'Blade Runner 2049'

Did “Blade Runner,” one of the most influential sci-fi films ever, need a sequel? Villeneuve made a compelling case with “Blade Runner 2049.” Set 30 years after the first film, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), who works as a blade runner, uncovers a secret about replicants that could change the course of history. K’s investigation leads him to former blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who has lived in seclusion for three decades. K must team with Deckard to discover the truth and prevent a war between humans and replicants. 

Despite issues over characterization and runtime — even Ridley Scott believes it’s too long — “Blade Runner 2049” is a technical marvel and arguably Villeneuve’s most visually stunning film. The film is shot beautifully, a credit to legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, who won his first Oscar for his work on this sequel. 

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Rent/buy on Amazon or Apple

5. 'Prisoners'

While most of Villeneuve’s films are noted for their bright, stunning visuals, “Prisoners” is his darkest and grittiest film. It’s a rainy crime thriller about what one man is willing to do to protect his family. On Thanksgiving, two young girls go missing. One of the girls is the daughter of Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman). Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) arrests Alex Jones (Paul Dano), the owner of the RV parked on Keller’s street where the girls went missing.

Due to a lack of evidence, Loki releases Jones, much to the dismay of Keller. Taking the law into his own hands, Keller kidnaps Jones and holds him hostage, torturing him in hopes of finding the location of his daughter. Jackman as the vengeful father and Gyllenhaal as the tormented cop are terrific in two of the best performances of their career.

Rent or buy on Amazon or Apple

The cards were stacked against Villeneuve for his adaptation of “Dune.” Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking sci-fi novel was considered unadaptable due to confusing narration changes, immense scope, and tons of exposition. David Lynch gave it a shot in 1984 and hated it so much that he’s disowned it. Future filmmakers tackling the source material choose television over film, needing more hours to tell their story.

Enough time has passed since Villeneuve’s “Dune” to say he broke the curse. With stunning world-building and a straightforward plot, it was the best adaptation of “Dune” upon its release. Timothée Chalamet stars as “Dune’s” protagonist, Paul Atreides, the gifted son who travels with his family to the dangerous planet of Arrakis. Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), wishes to broker peace with the Fremens, the natives of Arrakis. When House Harkonnen wages war on House Atreides for Arrakis, Paul must embrace his destiny as the “chosen one” and unite the planet.

Watch on Max

3. 'Dune: Part Two'

When making “Dune,” Villeneuve knew he needed a second film to adapt Herbert’s novel. While promoting the sci-fi epic , Villeneuve admitted that “Dune: Part Two” would be a better film than “Part One.” Villeneuve’s comments were genuine and not just a promotional tactic to draw anticipation for the sequel. 

We should have known to trust Villeneuve because his analysis was spot-on. “Dune: Part Two” is the superior film in nearly every way. In the sequel, Paul (Chalamet) is with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremens in the desert as the war against House Harkonnen intensifies. With more epic battle sequences, a sinister and psychopathic villain (played by Austin Butler), and a memorable sandworm ride, “Dune: Part Two” is already cited as the director’s masterpiece. 

"Dune: Part Two" is playing in theaters

2. 'Arrival'

Villeneuve explored time, grief, and humanity through the lens of an alien movie in “Arrival.” Aliens have landed on Earth, with 12 spacecraft hovering over various locations. What do the extraterrestrials want? That’s the job of Louise Banks (Amy Adams), the linguistics professor hired to investigate the ship over Montana. With the help of physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), Louise attempts to establish communication with the aliens. 

Louise has a breakthrough when two creatures respond with circular symbols. Louise needs time to decipher the code, but it may be too late as other nations are on the brink of starting a war for humanity. Backed by a sensational performance from Adams and a stunning ending, “Arrival” is a gripping examination of the human condition and one of the crowning achievements of Villeneuve’s career.

Watch on Paramount Plus

1. 'Sicario'

To call “Sicario” intense would be an understatement. From the explosive opening sequence, “Sicaro” never lets the audience come up for air. FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is recruited by CIA Officer Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) to join a special Joint Task Force in the war on drugs. Macer joins a team that features Graver’s right-hand man, the enigmatic assassin Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro). Their mission is to seize a top Mexican cartel lieutenant, which will hopefully lead them to apprehend the organization’s leader. 

The three leads are sensational, especially del Toro, whose dark portrayal of a vengeful killer is spellbinding. Villeneuve has never been better as an action director, with the border scene becoming one of the defying action sequences of the 2010s. As soon as the credits roll, exhale and catch your breath.

Watch on Prime Video

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Dan is a talented content creator who specializes in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. His entertainment interviews have been featured on Digital Trends, where he has spoken with various actors and entertainers, including Brendan Fraser, Alison Brie, and James Cameron. Additionally, Dan is a sportswriter with The Sports Daily, breaking down the top news in the NFL and NBA while providing picks and predictions for each league. Other bylines include ComingSoon.net, Unafraid Show, Fansided, and WatchMojo. When he’s not working, Dan enjoys rooting for his favorite New York sports teams and watching the latest movie from Christopher Nolan or Martin Scorsese.

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Movie and Film Reviews (MFR)

Prisoners (2013)

It’s rare for a movie that runs for over two hours to stay thrilling for its entirety. It’s rarer still for a film to make you feel something for its characters — especially when you aren’t completely aware of if they’re good or bad — during such a sustained amount of tension. And it’s almost unheard of for you to keep thinking about a film for hours or days after it ends. Such is the case with Prisoners , a fantastic film and one of the year’s best.

The film begins innocently enough. One family, the Dovers, is going over to the Birch’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. The two families are close, we find out, and this is how they choose to celebrate the holiday. Each family consists of a mother, father, teenager and daughter under the age of six. After dinner, each group separates: adults spend time chatting with other adults, the teenagers head to the basement to watch television, and the daughters head back to the Birch residence in hopes of finding one of their whistles. Fast forward to later on, and the daughters are nowhere to be found. Now what?

They search. They look everywhere. No dice. There was an RV earlier, which was driven by the mentally deficient Alex (Paul Dano). He becomes the prime suspect. A Detective, Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) starts up an investigation. The families are devastated. The rest of Prisoners takes place primarily over the next week. They say after a week, the chance of finding a child alive is halved. After a month, it’s almost nonexistent. Time is certainly of monumental importance.

You know all this from the trailer. Prisoners had a trailer released months before its theatrical release, as should happen, and it appeared to give away the majority of the plot. I hated the trailer for Prisoners . A movie like this one needs mysteries hidden. Fret not, dear reader, as the trailer stops about 1/3 of the way into the film, and reveals nothing too significant. Of greater importance is that it doesn’t rob the film of a few dramatic and tension-filled scenes, even though they’re shown in part during the trailer.

Prisoners is a film that keeps you on your toes. It isn’t in the least bit predictable, and even once you think it has played all of its cards, it pulls out another five. Even as the film rolls its credits, you won’t be entirely sure of everything you saw. You’ll want to watch it again right away to make sure you caught everything, and to make sure it didn’t cheat. Guess what? I’d put money on it being too smart to resort to cheating. You can figure it out earlier than it reveals itself, but you likely won’t be able to. This is how you make a thriller.

A small example comes in the form of the Detective, Loki. We’ve seen Jake Gyllenhaal at the investigating end of a crime before in Zodiac (also a lengthy thriller), but he’s improved so much as an actor since then. Even though the film never tries to implicate him, simply by the name of the character and a small tic which Gyllenhaal adds to the role, we can never be sure that Loki wasn’t the mastermind behind the kidnapping. Small but superbly effective techniques.

It also has the rare trait to make you care about everyone involved, regardless of what they’ve done over the course of the film and whether or not the film is trying to make us lean one way or another in regard to their innocence. Take Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), the father of one of the children, who winds up torturing a kid for an extremely large portion of the film, but because we understand his motivation and his intentions, he becomes one of the more sympathetic characters.

Prisoners has the ability to haunt. Because of its questionable morals, you’ll be thinking about its characters for days after it ends. Would you make similar decisions if faced with their situation? You’ll also be attempting to put each piece of the puzzle into place, and thinking back to early moments in the film which might or might not be clues. Seemingly inconsequential things in sharp, smart thrillers like this one are rarely as pointless as you initially think, and you slap yourself once the film tells you that they mattered. You could have figured that out.

The cast assembled for this production is outstanding. While it’s Jackman and Gyllenhaal who get more central roles — and Jackman gives the most intense performance of his career while Gyllenhaal plays his Zodiac character with even more confidence and depth — Viola Davis and Terrence Howard show up as the neighbors, Maria Bello plays the wife of Jackman’s character, and Melissa Leo plays the aunt of Paul Dano’s suspect character. These are all great actors and they turn in great work.

Prisoners is a fantastic film. It runs for just over 150 minutes but doesn’t drag for even a single moment, it has a complex plot which will keep you guessing for the vast majority of its running time — and it doesn’t cheat in that attempt to bewilder — it contains fantastic performances, great scenes which will rile you up emotionally, and the ability to make you think about it for days after it ends. It is one of the best films of the year.

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