"Prisoners" Better than expected

Rating: 10/10 (23 September 2013)

The film Prisoners from the outside looked like any other kidnapped story such at Taken, however it was much more than that. Prisoners had an unbelievable cast to make the story become a reality, and kept the audience on the edge of their seats for the entirety of the film. I have read several reviews on this film that have stated that the film was predictable and boring, I am going to have to respecfully disagree in that regard. This film had so many twists and turns, I have no idea how anyone could have guessed the outcome from the very beginning.
The film started as a very feel good film in my opinion, with the Dovers, and the Birches sharing the Thanksgiving Holiday together. Neighbors, and very good friends it made the viewer (me at least) feel at ease, and happy for the two families. I feel that these scenes really made the story more believable and made you feel more for the two families who would later have their daughters abducted. That is one reason in my opinion that made this film so suspenseful, and made the crowd root for Keller Dover(Hugh Jackman) to find his daughter, and the daughter of his great friend and neighbor Franklin Birch (Terrance Howard). The the fathers Mr. Dover, and Mr. Birch really showed, and portrayed the emotions of a struggling father who is worried sick about his daughter. They really show the length in which a father would go to save his daughter, and that he would put his own life on the line. Hugh Jackman, and Terrance Howard both did a great job at expressing those emotions. One went to more extremes than the other but, both showed what they would do to assure their daughters would come home safely.
The wives played by Maria Bello and Viola Davis also did a great and convincing job of the struggles that a mother would experience in those conditions. Maria Bello played the wife of Keller Dover named Grace Dover. She really portrayed a struggling mother by turning to prescription drugs, and many freakouts about her baby girl who she wasn't sure was dead or alive. Mrs. Birch played by Viola Davis was emotional but strong. She pertook in the torturing of Alex Jones played by Paul Dano. The torturing was started by Keller Dover, who forced Frankilin Birch to partake. He later broke down and told his wife he later went and tried to get answers from Alex Jones who was assumed to have taken the two young girls. The siblings of the two young girls were also very well played. It showed that a older brother Ralph Dover, and older sister Birch were forced to grow up through the experience, and help in the investigation of the abduction of their younger siblings.
Now, lets get away from the families and talk about Detective Loki played by Jake Gyllenhaal. I saw that one opinion stated that they were always one or two steps ahead of him in the investigation of the abduction. I think that, that is irrelevant while talking about the film, people watch movies and think about it differently. I believe that the actions, and investigating that Det. Loki took made sense, and is somewhat realistic, except for the amount of time it took to make the discovery. Jake Gyllenhaal did an amazing job playing a detective who is all business in the beginning of the investigation and then becomes emotionally invested in the discovery of the two abducted girls. I think that his seriousness and attention to detail during his investigation was very professional, and realistic. Becoming emotionally involved with a family who is missing a loved one is very easy to do, and he did a great job of showing that. In the end he found the two girls, however the movie ends without Keller Dover the rest of what happens is up the the viewers imagination.
This is a great film, and great role played by Hugh Jackman, and the entire cast. They made the film come to life for me, and has been the best movie I have seen this year. My congratulations goes out to the cast, and crew of this film.