When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?
It’s too long and too in love with its own dour gravitas.
A simmering pressure cooker of a thriller, Prisoners is an unforgiving but emotionally rewarding experience sustained by powerhouse performances, taut scripting and Villeneuve’s tonally assured direction.
A decent, cogent, greyly atmospheric thriller with something to say about War-On-Terror America.
As a dark, gloomy and relentlessly serious thriller that pits Jake Gyllenhaal against a mysterious bogeyman, Prisoners is noticeably reminiscent of David Fincher’s serial killer procedural Zodiac. Though not quite in the same class, it’s tense, gripping and throbbing with chilly atmosphere.
The result is a haunting narrative and moral maze.
Putting its shortcomings to one side, Prisoners is a gutsy thriller that leaves a lasting impression.
Impressive rather than fully satisfying. Despite superficial thrills by the bucketload, these numbers just don't add up.
A chilling atmosphere and big ideas compensate for a lack of credibility in this child-abduction thriller.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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