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By Nick Nicholson-
Your family is – or should be – your most prized possession. That being said, what would you do in order to protect them? What if one day you realized your child was missing? That is the nightmare that has become all too real in Prisoners. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring the wonderful talents of Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, Prisoners contains an incredibly well-written script and a cast of virtual all-stars who each carries their own weight throughout the film.
Jackman stars as Keller Dover, whose six-year-old daughter has come up missing along with one of her girlfriends. Jake Gyllenhaal returns to a role in law enforcement as Detective Loki and quickly locates the best clue in the story – an old mobile home – and apprehends the driver, Alex Jones, brilliantly played by Paul Dano. However, Loki’s case doesn’t hold water, and the detective is forced to release his suspect. As the frustration continues to build, Dover concludes that every hour gone by creates a lesser chance that his daughter will be found alive. He looks deep inside of himself to find the courage that, if his daughter is going to live, it is entirely up to him to find her before it is too late.
Prisoners is a whodunit unlike any that I have seen in a number of years. As each scene passes, the audience is left to decide how best to put the pieces of the mystery together. What is truly unique about Prisoners is that Villeneuve has mastered the art of the cat and mouse game. He keeps the audience on its toes throughout the entire film, and the solution does not come into focus until the very end. Guess as much as you’d like, but this one is tough. The film is expertly shot by Roger Deakins, who is arguably the finest cinematographer alive today. With Prisoners’ brilliant script, wonderful acting and simply gorgeous visuals, look for multiple Oscar nominations out of this film as the award season draws near.
Prisoners
Starring: Hugh Jackman,
Melissa Leo and Jake Gyllenhaal
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Company: Warner
Now Showing: In Local
Area Theatres
MPAA Rating: R
Grade: A+