The problem with modern crime thrillers is the fact that when all is said and done there is not good character. The big ending of a crime thriller can only be exciting if you care and the mystery can only be engaging if the characters are good. This is the one problem I had with both versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. By the time the mystery ended I found myself not connected to the characters as much as I should be. Prisoners does not have this problem. It is a smart, well scripted and real feeling crime thriller. Sure you can figure it out before the end (You can with most of these films) but, it is an interesting and quite disturbing ride. The reason that I mentioned all of this earlier is that this is the best thing Prisoners has going for it. This film is more focussed on the characters than the mystery. The film has Hugh Jackman's and a neighbors daughters being abducted and the way the characters react to this traumatic situation. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Detective Loki the man on the case. The main kidnapping suspect is a man with the IQ of about a ten year old. This almost immediately causes problems the main one being that Jackman doesn't want to wait for the police. That's when some of the stuff the movie should be doing wrong is highlighted. It really does spend way to much time on the acts that Jackman inflects on this suspect mainly torturing him to the edge of his life. Sure you need something for the parents to do and this is fine,but the mystery is kind of shown up by these sections. These scenes kind highlight the fact that the mystery actually isn't that interesting. Yet as for those scenes there is also a very important benefit to them. The acting. I never really considered Hugh Jackman as a great actor. Sure he owns certain roles much like Wolverine and Jean Valjean,but those are very one note performances (Pun not intended). Prisoners is the first film that I've seen him sell the hell out of and his performance is a tour de force considering the fact that you still sympathize with him by the end of the film. Gyllenhaal is fine in his role,but I've come to expect this kind of thing from him. However these roles would be a waste without good scripting. Again the mystery not as engaging, but the script kind of knows this, and keeps going. The whole thing refuses to let up if only to keep the illusion going. Sure the film is really just jumping from twist to twist with the character moments, but the really well written script keeps it all interesting. This is one of those "the characters are getting driven to the edge and that's where all the tension comes from movies." The fact that the film feels like everything is about to fall apart at any moment means it has succeeded. The way everything comes to together is actually compelling. If there really is another complaint other than the mystery to be found with Prisoners I found it to be slightly long. It doesn't drag or anything during it's 153 minute runtime it's just some of it could have been trimmed a bit to better effect. So Prisoners: Really well written, has Hugh Jackman doing career best work, it's about the characters,but, a slight bit on the long side, and has a mystery that's not exactly compelling. I know this review came off as kind of negative,but that's not my intention. Prisoners gets an 8 out of 10.
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December 2017
CategoriesAuthorHello welcome to FilmAnalyst. My name is Stephen Tronicek, and I really like movies. This is a way to get my opinions out to people. Thank you for visiting. |