truly a great thriller; gut-wrenching movie

Rating: 10/10 (25 November 2013)

Prisoners is a thriller which achieves a rare level of intensity and resonance thanks to the director's ability to invest the story with authenticity, emotion and originality. Compared with, say, 'The Silence of the Lambs' this slow-paced (a compliment, as the usual hyperactive pacing of Hollywood is almost a sickness) bleak mainstream film is hands down a better movie, making Demme's seem trivial, in hindsight. What I loved about Prisoners is the way that it was all about the story and the characters; the visual style was invisible and never imposed itself on the viewer. It was wonderfully directed in a manner that recalled classics by Nicolas Ray(They Live By Night), William Wyler(Desperate Hours), Billy Wilder(Double Indemnity) or John Ford (The Searchers). You could just walk into this terrifying film and feel the emotions portrayed flawlessly by the cast. The best example being perhaps Maria Bello who is my choice for best supporting actress this year with special mention going to Gyllenhaal whose idiosyncratic performance is at the heart of this film; his effortless charisma and skill place him among the very best, he is also a natural audience favorite capable of earning a very high level of empathy for his work.