Prisoners - one of the best of 2013

Rating: 9/10 (23 February 2014)

Prisoners' was a definite surprise hit. I have always enjoyed Jake Gyllenhaal's performances (Donnie Darko, The Source Code), and always respected his ability to act, alongside Hugh Jackman's excellent performance as a father who will do anything to bring back his child. I walked into 'Prisoners' with no expectations; in fact I barely knew what the movie was about. I read somewhere it was a 'Taken' clone, but that is a huge disservice to the direction, screen writing and most importantly the cinematography shown in the film. The film was so incredibly moody, falling into a similar category as 'Se7en' and 'Silence of the Lambs'. One or two scenes overstayed their welcome by a minute or so, and Jackman may be overacting to some, but I think he hit the nail on the head. Gyllenhaal also portrayed an incredibly weary and tired police officer, who becomes increasingly suspicious and twitchy as the film progresses. His performance carried the film, in my opinion. The basements were dusty and the X-Files-esque flashlights pierced the fog, while the snowy environment gave the film a cold, clinical feel. Roger Deakins has never deserved a reward for his cinematography more, and is one of my biggest inspirations in the field. The film is beautiful, while retaining a dark, sinister feel. Unfortunately, Gravity broke so many boundaries in the cinematographic field, and will likely receive more credit for 2013s cinematography. A shame, Deakins has shown his skill multiple times without any reward (outside of fame and money, obviously) in the academy and such, especially after 'Skyfall' in 2012. Outside of this, the film displays an excellent dissection of morality on a fundamental basis, and it left me thinking for a long time afterwards. The film is so pleasing to watch but oh so chilling and dark. I recommend this film to anyone, but not the faint of heart, it does get messy.
Excerpt from 2013 - a year in review: www.perksandpeeves.wordpress.com