Movie: Prisoners
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Terrence Howard, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Mario Bello and Melissa Leo
Rating: ****
Tautly made along the lines of David Fincher’s “Zodiac” and Ben Affleck’s “Gone Baby Gone”, Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners” is an intense and absorbing story about the search for two young missing girls. It has the spirit of Affleck’s directorial debut and the suspense of Fincher’s underrated thriller. Made from the perspective that questions what is right and wrong or acceptable and unacceptable, the film is undeniably the best to come out of Hollywood this year.
Two young girls, Anna and Joy, daughters of best friends Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) and Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard) respectively, go missing after a Thanksgiving lunch on a cold afternoon in Pennsylvania. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), who has an undisputed record of solving all cases so far, is called upon to investigate the disappearance of the girls. Initial investigation reveals that Keller’s son Ralph had seen an RV, which belonged to a sinisterly looking Alex (Paul Dano), parked in front of their house, very close to where the girls were playing. Following the lead, Loki and his team hunt down the RV and take Alex into custody, but eventually release him due to lack of evidence despite Keller’s strong suspicion about his involvement in the kidnapping. When the police fail to keep Alex behind bars, Keller Dover takes the matter into his own hands.
How do you define what’s right and what’s not? Is it acceptable to do the wrong to get to the right? The film presents an opportunity for us to find answers to these questions, which in essence form the premise of “Prisoners”. When Keller aka Hugh Jackman simply based on a hunch takes Alex hostage and tries to extract information about the kidnapping, does it not make him any different from the kidnapper who has taken away the girls? Therefore, is it acceptable to do the wrong (take Alex hostage) to get to the right (find out whereabouts of the missing girls)?
In the opening scene, we hear the voice of Keller reciting lines from the bible as camera zooms in on a deer in the woods. His son, Ralph, kills it in one straight shot and as they drive back home for the thanksgiving lunch, Keller appreciates Ralph. This god-fearing man, Keller, who considers hunting deer sinful, decides to take a man hostage who he thinks may have kidnapped the girls. He conveniently blames Alex for what he has made him to do and that he could have avoided that situation. Keller pleads for forgiveness from the almighty every time he inflicts pain on Alex. As a viewer you’re left to choose between right and wrong.
“Prisoners”, this moody thriller, is an ordinary forensic crime drama that’s gripping from start to finish albeit blood and corpses (actually there’s one). Director Denis Villeneuve uses lot of metaphors to underline torture and interrogation from American perspective. His characters range from a vicious Keller (turns violent after the disappearance of his daughter) to soft-hearted couple Franklin and his wife, played by Viola Davis, to an intelligent detective Loki with a lousy boss and sobbing Keller’s wife. These characters, which are backed by strong performances by the cast, capture the mood of the film.
The climax, which comes nearly after two hours of suspense and eeriness, may leave you with mixed feelings. Hugh Jackman chips in with a devastating performance, one that’s exactly opposite to his globally recognized Wolverine role. Jake as Loki reminds me of the inquisitiveness he portrayed as a cartoonist in “Zodiac”, with an unflinching attitude. Other members of the cast were equally good with special mention to Paul Dano and Melissa Leo.
In the battle of right versus wrong, “Prisoners” lets you choose your side and presents reasons to do so. Will you choose something morally culpable or legally right?
