A dark and brooding thriller you won't forget

Rating: 8/10 (5 February 2014)

During a get together with their friends, Nancy & Franklin Birch, Anna Dover and Joy Birch are kidnapped by an unknown culprit. Detective Loki arrests a prime suspect, Alex Jones. The despondent Keller Dover decides to take matters into his own hands when Jones is released by using physical, torturous tactics on Alex Jones. Keller starts to go over the edge, almost on the brink of insanity to try to get the two little girls back.
This isn't your Mother's thriller, that's for sure, in fact, I was shocked when I found out this was a bit of a box office hit. The subject matter is absolutely gruesome. This one requires you to put your thinking cap on and leave all distractions aside. This is really tough to watch. The atmosphere is very grim, not to mention it's raining all the time, which adds to grim mood. It has an ominous score that chilled me to the bone. It took me about 45 minutes for me to fully get into this one, but that isn't a bad thing at all. It is very patient with its approach and I dug that. It is carefully thought out with torture sequences that will make even the strongest people flinch. I couldn't even fathom the pain of losing a child, or to have one disappear on you. There is not a pain the world that compares to losing a child when you're a parent. I'm not a parent, but even I know that. If you're a parent, this movie will hit very close to home, perhaps in a very uncomfortable way. The performances are amazing and I bet they were emotionally exhausted. Hugh Jackman is absolutely riveting. He is full of raw emotion. I loved how he was able and willing to throw his morals out the window and do whatever it took to find his daughter. His methods were totally understandable, if not exactly likable. If I was a father, I would do the same thing Keller did. This is Jackman's finest hour. He'll always be Wolverine to me, but the man is incredibly gifted. What a memorable show by him! Jake Gyllenhall is terrific as Detective Loki. He was on top of things the whole time and I loved his performance. Terrance Howard is very good, as is Viola Davis. I gotta mention Paul Dano's performance as a twisted, yet complex person. I hated him and felt for him at the same time. Melissa Leo steals every scene she's in, especially near the end. Maria Bello was excellent as the grieving mother. I suspect the ending will have people split 50/50
Final Thoughts: I would have trimmed it just a tad, but this movie affected me in a big way. It's frightening, disturbing, engrossing, and thought-provoking. It is one of the best films of 2013
8.7/10