One of the best thrillers of recent memory

Rating: 10/10 (29 March 2015)

Prisoners tells the story of a family broken by the kidnapping of their small daughter along with one of her friends. Unsatisfied with the police actions in the case, the father tries to take matters into his own hands.
This is a very tense movie. We follow Keller Dover as he desperately tries to find the truth about what happened to his daughter. Right in the beginning we get a feel that this is a man that does what he needs and doesn't like depending on others, even the government.
On the other side, we have Det. Loki, a cop with his own personal problems that is assigned to this case. We see he is actually trying to get things done. I guess it felt nice seeing an investigator that is actually human for a change, and not a Super Deduction Machine. I love Sherlock Holmes as much as the next guy, but sometimes is nice to see a regular one, specially since this is an overused trope. Not that he is stupid or anything, he just feels more real in the way he follows clues and draws his conclusions.
Hugh Jackman is in full shape, showing the evolution of his characters desperation as he sees, powerless, his family falling apart. When he decides to act in a certain way, we may not agree with it, or even think he may be making a mistake, but we never doubt his motivations, and his choices feel authentic. Jake Gyllenhaal also does a great job as the detective trying to find the truth, and so we get a nice back and forth between these two characters, as in who should we trust, who should we root for?
All of this is sewed together by a great story. Mystery permeates the movie and the developments are made in a way that make you never completely sure about what the truth really is. Thus, even if this movie has a slow pace, with beautiful and calm cinematography, not packed with explosions, you still feel at the edge of your seat.
The script here is flawless both as a suspense and a crime story. When you get to the end you feel it in your guts. This is not a movie you will soon forget.
A great experience. 10/10.