Utterly repugnant propaganda filled vehicle.

Rating: 1/10 (29 September 2013)

Let's make a crime caper where we have an excuse to show a mentally disabled man get tortured beyond reason. Even if he might be the suspect we are subjected to the overzealous rage filled attacks carried out by the kidnapped child's father. Let's also throw in some religious rhetoric to situate villainy in Christians , elderly widows, depraved sickos and handicapped people.
Why were all of these vile charges crammed in just one movie? It leaves me to respond with affirmation that this movie intended to anger, upset and disgust any unsuspecting movie goer. But along with making a crime caper that involves a kidnapping, we are also given a slow moving plot filled with misleading clues, uneven continuity, numerous twists and red-herrings that don't make much sense. Many questions will be asked as you labor through this torturous drama and it only gets more aggravating and confusing. Why would a police department be so incompetent as to have the parents be committing vigilantism without any surveillance? This is highly unlikely in America, even in rural Midwestern towns. Did the writers bother to consult Law authorities on investigative and forensic procedures? Because they seem non-existent in this unbelievable tale.
The most unforgiving and unsympathetic performance is Hugh Jackman's character who completely absconds any sense of responsibility and regard for law, humanity and common sense. As we see him emerging into madness and sadistic rage we quickly lose any empathy for him. How is it that any person can enjoy or be fascinated with the brutal torture of a feeble and mentally incapable simpleton? It's just an exercise in ugliness and perpetuates into the extreme. It was overdone. It would have been more believable if the torture was attempted and later foregone, realizing the method of debriefing wasn't working. Jackman's acting is way over the top and fails to draw any sympathy. Perhaps it was bad acting or a faulty script. It's as if the director was pushing him in a weekly actor's workshop to go the limit with unconstrained rage. It doesn't work.
I also was annoyed at Gyllenhall's sleepy performance. For a detective who is supposed to have a stellar record, he sure missed much of the insanity going on with the people involved. This movie is also anti-authority and rebellious in its stance. Showing cops get maligned and disrespected is commonplace as the parents just freely go about their neurotic business of vigilantism.
Many times I asked myself, 'Why is this happening? What did that mean? How is this guy involved? How did this old lady ever orchestrate such a kidnapping spree without getting caught? She seems a wee bit too old and frail to be carrying out such a demonic feat with grown men. Why did the other suspect break into the house while the mother was there? What exactly was he after? Why would he show up at a Candlelight vigil and make a spectacle of himself? Lame and stupid plot making. Why wasn't the priest ever a suspect before the kidnapping? You would think the police would be led to clues as to the dead man's whereabouts. Why would the old lady wait for Dover's second visit to constrain him? Was she so certain her demonic plan could rebound after losing one hostage?
Most reprehensible is this movie's conviction of wallowing in its own depravity. It fails to make a distinction between what we can assert as truthful and moral behavior and what is incomprehensible behavior. This cheesy tag-line, "How far would you go?" only ushers in a weak excuse for someone to go ballistic on anyone they suspect. Even if the person in question has the wrong look in his eye. The question is so bad that it doesn't even deserve to be dignified with an intelligent answer. The question that should be asked is "How much effort does a caring father need to put forth in order to assure the safety of his family, himself and his daughter?" By committing abduction and torture he puts himself in jeopardy and his family.
I could go on with more questions, but Prisoners doesn't have any redeeming qualities. A plethora of weird clues such as snakes stuffed in crates, the numerous scenes featuring a maze, weird wall paper, bloody clothes add up to nothing in this labyrinth of trash. It's all shock material that is poorly crafted and handled. And it isn't even believable.