Not a fun movie to watch yet a very good one...

Rating: 8/10 (22 February 2014)

Prisoners is not the average thriller that some reviews and most previews build it up to be. Rather, this feature is a dramatic exploration of the darker side and evilness of humanity. Set in suburbia Kentucky, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), a devote family man and Christian, faces a parent's worst nightmare. His daughter goes missing. A young detective (Jake Gyllenhaal) is assigned the case, which quickly becomes nearly unsolvable as the only suspect; a RV driver with an IQ of a 10 year-old (Paul Dano) is dismissed from lack of evidence. Keller takes matters into his own hands while the small town gradually begins to fall apart and the most disturbing of secrets from behind closed doors are unveiled.
I cannot say that this is a film I enjoyed. It really is not one too enjoy. It is dark and violent, but not violent in the gory sense—in the realistic and psychologically one. We first hand get to see helplessly in how Keller progressively loses his soul and sanity as he continually tortures a man to desperately find any information on his missing little girl. As onlookers, we get to observe how the Dover family slips into a deep depressive state. We watch as the young cop becomes more and more flustered, agitated, and violent as he tries to close a case that he cannot fathom. Director Denis Villeneuve knows how to make the audience feel uncomfortable from depicting a mature subject matter so well and with using such a great cast. Each performance by the actors is raw and real. Hugh Jackman fits the persona of an enraged father pushed beyond his limit. We understand his motives and can accept, but not necessarily condone his brutal actions. Jake Gyllenhaal creates an interesting character that we too can feel and comprehend. He is so natural in the role. It almost seems that he is just the character and not even acting. Paul Dano plays the simpleton well, and he manages to squeeze in his trademark of embodying a whimpering wimp. None of the characters are inherently good or bad nor are they cut as black and white. They are submerged in a vat of grayness and ambivalence.
Cinematographer Roger Deakins helps capture the bleak and dejecting atmosphere of the film—bland, washed out colors in the day and eerie, nightmarish shadows in the night. Shot on a digital camera, the visuals are simply breathtaking. I honestly don't think this movie would have been as impactful if it had been shot on the standard 35mm film. Though sparse, the music supports the dark, foreboding mood.
While the film has sublime performances and a great visual style, it falls flat on bits regarding the story. Some subplots are not finished, forcing the viewer to try and connect the dots in a somewhat intricate story. Other elements feel drawn out unnecessarily to the point of boredom. The constant transitions of fading to black during the final act comes off as a gimmick and removes any potential for suspense or energy. The ending particularly leaves the viewer cold and without solace. Then again, as previously stated, this movie is not your traditional thriller. It focuses on drama versus thrills and chills, which supports the blah atmosphere. A little of excitement though could go a long way in spicing things up for the film's concluding act.
Prisoners is a film that is not fun to watch, but it is a very good one. The two and half-hour length is not something to be disheartened over. In fact, more could have been added to complete the plot in its entirety.