Holds Viewers Captive.

Rating: 10/10 (11 September 2015)

Prisoners (2013): Dir: Denis Villeneuve / Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Paul Dano, Maria Bello: Riveting and powerful film where the title can reference the two abducted young girls, or the family struggling with dealing with their loss, or a police inspector struggling to do the right thing yet frustrated with the responsibility, or the suspect placed under illegal observation. Hugh Jackman and Terrence Howard play two fathers who get together with their wives but their youngest girls go missing. A suspect is brought in but he has the mentality of a ten year old. When the suspect is released Jackman abducts him and locks him in an abandon building where he brutally tortures him for the whereabouts of the girls. Director Denis Villeneuve previously made the underrated Maelstrom and here treads delicately with the idea of a possible innocent person being tortured as guilty. There is several effective plot turns that provides tension as well as aim the viewer's expectations in other directions. Jackman delivers one of his greatest performances as a father struggling with his faith as well as his role of father. Howard plays the best friend who struggles to fathom his friend's illegal choice of justice. Jake Gyllenhaal is great as a cop dealing with possible failure and dealing with the emotional elements of the job. Paul Dano steals scenes as the target suspect unresponsive to the brutality. Maria Bello plays Jackman's wife whose hopes are drifting into despair and his absence doesn't help. Strong theme of family, fatherhood and trying maintain your faith in the face of God. Score: 10 / 10