The Suspense Never Stops!

Rating: 10/10 (5 December 2013)

Hugh Jackman is Keller Dover, a Christian father of two who enjoys hunting with his son. Dover and his family attend a Thanksgiving dinner over at their friend's house, Franklin and Nancy Birch, played by Terrence Howard and Viola Davis. It is there that both family's six year old girls, Anna and Joy, go missing. Jake Gyllenhaal, as Detective Loki, is assigned to the case but is unable to put Dover at ease. This creates a conflict between the confident detective and the frantic father. It's not long before Alex Jones, played by Paul Dano, is arrested under suspicion for the girls disappearance but due to a lack of evidence, he is released. As Detective Loki continues on with the investigation, Dover, in desperation and out of fear for his daughter's life, decides to take matters into his own hands.
Everyone involved in this production, including actress Maria Bello as Dover's wife, Grace, are at the top of their game. Hugh Jackman has never been better, surpassing his performance in The Fountain. Jake Gyllenhaal is no longer seen as Donnie Darko here. Detective Loki proves to be not only his most powerful performance but also the best character he has ever played. In fact, Detective Loki might be the best on-screen detective we've seen in well over a decade. All the amazing performances aside, everything about Prisoners is perfectly executed. Cinematography by the best director of photography working today, Roger Deakins. The haunting music, provided by the masterful Icelandic composer, Jóhann Jóhannsson, is used to maximum effect. Canadian director Denis Villeneuve has brought Aaron Guzikowski's screenplay to life without cutting any corners or wasting any expense.
Prisoners is a painful character study within the most thrilling mystery put to the big screen since Hitchcock defined the genre. Villeneuve has perfectly balanced the ambiguity and ambition of a modern art-film with an entertaining Hollywood thriller. Even with a running time over two and a half hours, the suspense never stops. In fact, it will continue to linger long after the credits finish rolling.