Overlong Hokey Climax Spoils Well Acted Thriller Somewhat

Rating: 6/10 (21 September 2013)

As usual, as I scan the reviews here, they tend to be either highly laudatory, or scathingly awful. I really wanted to like this film, as I love thrillers, but this one failed to satisfy me ultimately. The set up of the two girls disappearing and the realization they have been taken was excellent, and the lead performances were all believable and very intense. However, without divulging the specific revelations in the final hour, for me they seemed very far fetched, and the action scenes, especially the car-chase scene, so far over the top and excessive that they bordered on hokey. Still, the film overall is not bad, but at over two and a half hours, it left me feeling disappointed, and could have been about 30 minutes shorter. I had some questions about certain parts, but it is one of those films I wouldn't want to see again, as there are almost no moments to actually enjoy. I loved "The Butler", and "Instructions Not Included", but can only marginally recommend "Prisoners" due to its unrelenting grimness and length.