A Masterclass in Everything

Rating: 10/10 (22 March 2020)

Prisoners (2013) - [10/10]
What a beautiful film. Prisoners (2013) is one of the greatest thriller/mystery films ever made - at least that I've seen - and it is great for many reasons. One of the reasons is the writing. Every story piece is so intricate, so complex - exactly like a maze. Aaron Guzikowski did such an amazing job, taking a familiar concept (child abduction) and taking all the stigmas, stereotypes, etc. surrounding this topic and flipping them on their heads. He wrote with such realism, crafting such tense, empathetic, and surreal moments. I found myself sympathizing with each character; caring about each and everyone of them deeply. I cried with the characters. I felt their anger. I felt everything. The audience was a part of the story. Every random piece of "arbitrary" story truly wasn't random. Simplistic resolutions and small little details mattered in this film. As the film progressed, I thought I had the story figured out - I thought I did - but I was so wrong. With each scene and sequence there were so many twists and surprises; each a turn inside of the maze that is Prisoners (2013). Denis Villeneuve is going to go down as one of the greats. His direction allowed this complex story to be told in a very unique way. I haven't seen much of his work, aside form Arrival (2016), but because of this film I have deep respect for him. Each scene was extremely tense, and it started from the very beginning of the film. Immediately you knew something was wrong even though nothing was explicitly stated. There's so many techniques to learn from Villeneuve's knowledge on building tension, mood, tone, and atmosphere. It felt like I was holding my breath from the opening words that appeared on screen, Prisoners, and wasn't allowed a second to breathe until the abrupt cut to black and the closing credits. (The ending is perfect by. It is probably one of my favorite endings ever.) There is so much symbolism in this film. From snakes, to mazes, to being a prisoner. A prisoner of someone else's, a prisoner in jail, or becoming a prisoner of one's own creation. I cannot wait to analyze more of this film and truly understand Prisoners (2013). Now onto the performances. What can I say about these actors. Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Paul Dano, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello, Terrance Howard - everyone was so real. Gyllenhaal and Jackman give their best performances I have ever seen. They became their characters. You could sympathize with Jackman's character, Keller Dover, and understand everything he was going through and at the same time you as if became Gyllenhaal's partner - the audience was the lone-wolf Detective Loki's partner throughout the inverstigation. Gyllenhaal is a spectacular actor and this is my favorite performance by him. Each small detail about his character, from his tattoos, to his mason ring, or to the simple looks he gives - is perfect from the moment he is introduced in the story. The chemistry that is created when Gyllenhaal and Jackman are together is unnerving. Jackman's rage and emotion contrast Gyllenhaal's independence and seriousness. Jackman gave the best performance I have seen from him as well. All of these characters are people that could really exist. They're extremely realistic and it works. Another standout is Paul Dano and David Dastmalchian. I can't say much about their characters because it would spoil some of the film, but they are haunting. Paul Dano is a really underrated actor and he shines in this. You can see everything about his character just from his eyes. His eyes tell you so much about himself and the story. I cannot stress this enough - his eyes. To be able to do that takes so much skill and dedication. Paul Dano really commits in this film and is the perfect person to be in between Gyllenhaal and Jackman. Dastmalchian utilizes similar skills that Dano uses. I really can't speak about his performance too much, but it is equal to the caliber of the other actors. One last actor I'll talk about is Melissa Leo. She frightened me so much in this film. I'd compare her performance to Anthony Perkins in Psycho (1960). Once again, I really can't say much about her either, but her eeriness is enough to make you want to look away from the screen. The casting in this film was perfect. Not a single actor doesn't put in their all for the film. Jackman and Gyllenhaal really operated at another level. To truly understand what I'm talking about you need to see Prisoners (2013). Roger A. Deakins. What a legend. Every film he captures is beautiful and Prisoners (2013) is no different. Every scene was art. Every scene had some sort of symbolic subtext. He is able to capture emotion in the small things. From pill bottles, to trees, to candles. So beautiful. A lot of the sequences happen in really dark colored settings and to be able to capture beauty in that is crazy. In one scene in particular, we see rain turn to snow and the way he chose to film it is beautiful. I can't figure out another way to describe it other than beautiful. I think this may be my favorite film he's been Director of Photography on. How he didn't win best cinematography at the 84th Academy Awards amazes me. (I really have a lot more to say about this film - but I'll shorten it down.) The editing was to the point and really satisfying. The sound design was layered and actually very quiet. This film is a slow burn and utilizes silence differently than most films, so when loud moments happen they are meaningful. The score by Jóhan Jóhannsson captures what Prisoners (2013) is. I really love it, so I was very sad to find out he passed away in 2018. I think he could have became one of the greatest composers in film history, much of that greatness seen with his work on this film. Each chord oozes emotion onscreen. The lighting is beautiful. For the most part they relied on natural light - which I prefer in film, and it works. A lot of the scenes are in darkness so when we see light, it adds a lot of meaning and value to the film - it has a purpose. Prisoners (2013) was snubbed on so many levels. I believe it is a masterpiece, but it hasn't been recognized as such. It is criminally underrated. The writing is so effective. The characters are so complex yet so relatable. The symbolism throughout is breathtaking. The direction is masterful. The performances, equally masterful. Most importantly of all, to understand Prisoners (2013) completely it would require a second or third watch. In my opinion that is a sign of the greatness in a film. To watch it multiple times and still take away new ideas from it means the film is a masterpiece. It is a masterclass in suspense, atmosphere, cinematography, acting, symbolism, editing, everything. It is heartbreaking, horrific, and familiar - I loved it. Once you start watching this film, Villeneuve and Guzikowski will trap you in the maze that is Prisoners (2013) until the very end of the film when it all makes sense, and you know which path is the correct way to the exit.