Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners is a complex thriller that successfully subverts the conventions of the clichéd mystery genre. Bolstered by Aaron Guzikowski’s sharp script, Prisoners takes the generic plot of missing children in a small town and crafts it into a twisted tale that exposes the darker elements of the human psyche. The film begins with a typical Thanksgiving dinner between two families that goes terribly wrong when the youngest daughters are abducted. After the brooding Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) releases the main suspect from custody, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) — the father of one of the missing girls — takes drastic measures that ultimately call his own morals into question. While the film occasionally threatens to collapse under its own bleakness, the red herrings planted throughout keep the audience captivated despite the dark content. The final twist makes for a satisfying conclusion to a film buoyed by its award worthy screenplay and haunting performances.
