Acting and directing so good I'm sleeping with lights on

Rating: 8/10 (7 January 2020)

I went into this without knowing anything about it, not expecting anything but great acting from Jackman and Gyllenhaal. And oh, did I get that. Jackman's acting was definitely a career best, even better than Logan, and he conferred every emotion so well I couldn't help but cry and almost pray alongside him. Moreover, Gyllenhaal once again proves the extreme diversity of his acting and delivers a brilliant performance which also places among his best.
I'm not underestimating when I say that this movie is extremely brutal, sometimes maybe even a bit too brutal. Not only in its graphicness, but in what it implies about the characters and their actions as well as the feelings of guilt and anxiety certain scenes make you feel. This is very effectful and moody, but I can't help but wish that certain sequences were toned down, as I believe it would be more enjoyable that way. In contrast to this, the sound editing and score is stellar and really accentuates all the feelings I had throughout the film.
The story is gripping and has a nice balance between incredibly intense scenes and calmer ones where you get to breathe, but it's never lighthearthed and thus a little too harsh and depressing at times. The third act of the movie is weaker than the rest and leaves you with more questions than answers in typical Villenueve fashion. While well executed and interesting, it doesn't give me all the answers I'm after and responds to the rest of them in not so satisfying ways. Having said this, the final scene of the film is absolutely wonderful and almost manages to make up for the issues.
In summary, "prisoners" is a dark and truly horrifying thriller that serves you intriguing mysteries in typical Villeneueve manner but dissapoints when it comes to answering them. Safe to say, I will be sleeping with light on tonight.