A Miserable Symphony of Human Ugliness

Rating: Null/10 (11 October 2013)

At first glance "Prisoners " is what most critics and viewers would hail as a brilliant film. I myself would have thought the same thing 10 years or more ago when I was an aspiring young film critic. However, with age comes wisdom and I found "Prisoners" quite disturbing, quite sickening.
Prisoners tells the story of two families the Dovers and the Birches who while celebrating thanksgiving manage to have both of their young daughters kidnapped the same night. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the seasoned Detective Loki, assigned to what must be the most trying case of his career. Hugh Jackman plays patriarch Keller Dover a supposed Christian and ironically a carpenter who has taught his family to hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. In the hours after the kidnapping, with view leads and what he views as an incompetent police investigation Keller slowly slides into the deepest abyss of morality all in an effort to find the would be kidnappers. Keller also enlists the aid of fellow grieving patriarch Franklin Dover ( played by Terrance Howard) to assist him in his nefarious plot to retrieve both their missing daughters.
I can't imagine the thought of having a daughter go missing, however from a Christian perspective it seems the reaction of The Keller is rather anti-Christian. Part of that is the whole theme of the movie. Nevertheless, I think from a true Christian perspective , a father would never sink to the lows if Keller Dover if his child were kidnapped. The response may not be automatic, but much prayer would follow such a devastating kidnapping and also a trust in an all powerful God that no matter what the outcome that God is still in control. Even if it means that one's child might pass, there is a satisfaction in knowing that Jesus will someday bring that child back.
However, on film the Keller's cuss and argue. Faith in God is completely shaken once the youngest child is missing and no one is praying, until the very end during a sad cinematic twist. This is a film wrapped in darkness and it shows the true ugliness of humanity. After watching "Prisoners" I regretted allowing this film into my psyche for over two hours . It was very unsettling and shook me to the core. Yes there are horrors in this world, but do we as an audience need too feed off of sure horrors and better yet, should we? A film as bleak as this one was felt oddly demonic, perhaps Detective Loki was name appropriately so, with Loki being the evil god of malice and mischief, because this film was a trickster of sorts maligning Christianity and mingling it with all that is frail and sinister.