Quite disappointed. Recycling Jóhann Jóhannsson's soundtrack from Personal Effects (which is amazing, but I dislike using a soundtrack for multiple films). The plot was quite predictable.
Hugh Jackman was mediocre, I don't think he's cut out for drama. Jake Gyllenhaal did a great job though.
Predictable, long and overrated. This is nothing but the end of Mystic River stretched to a full movie with a predictable "twist" at the end.
Note to studios: even if you take your audience for morons (which they are obviously), if you really want them not to put two and two together, try to have more characters in your whodunits because once every suspect has been eliminated, and remains only the Oscar nominee who had 2 lines... you tend to get predictable.
Watchable but way overlong. The characterizations are weak - none of the actors really have much to work with. Jackman's performance is completely devoid of personality - it's one long bit of agony. Dano's role is ridiculous - even as a guy with the role of a 10-year old, he doesn't seem believable. Gyllenhaal's excessive, uncalled-for blinking got annoying. The second half was better than the first half. It's no masterpiece. but it's worth a look.
The film was shot very well. However, I thought the antagonist was too predictable(or I have just seen to many thrillers). I called nearly everything right from the start of the investigation. As I said it was shot very well, so the reveal and everything leading up to it was thrilling none the less.
It is true that the acting is amazing! But this film left me kind of empty(if that even makes any sense). I guess I mean it left me with lots of questions. Not to go into spoilers but, what was the motive for kidnapping? So what is the deal with the certain time of reptile? Some scenes were so hard to watch, you almost start to feel hatred toward the main character...
Good movie but not a great film by any means. Very poor character and plot development. I had so many questions 45 mins into the film and even more, once it ended.
I don't think this is a great movie, acting is mediocre and the story itself quite predictable. All though direction is somewhat good so i would recommend to have a look once but that's it
Technical aspects are great: powerful performances, very good cinematography and strong direction that creates a bleak foreboding atmosphere. However the plot goes through a lot of convolutions to throw red herrings and clues at the viewer in a way that ended up feeling unbelievable. I was particularly disappointed by the revelation of a cartoonish villain at the end who doesn't seem to fit in with the tone. It recalls Mystic River with which it shares a lot of positives and negatives, but it also resembles Memories of Murder and The Vanishing (both of which are clearly superior) but with the darker parts filed off to make it more palatable for a mass audience.
I feel like the plot could have been a lot more coherent and easier to follow if they had just cut out the character of Taylor. He's nothing more than a red herring. It also emphasizes the whole "main character has it right, and no one believes them" trope which kind of annoys me (reminded me of Gone and that's never a good thing).
But with that said it was a great movie otherwise, just wonderful to look at, Villeneuve is the master of cinematography.
on the pro side:
1) the much cited atmosphere. I'm just a sucker for that bleak, lower middle-class rural America getup
2) the acting - Gyllenhaal and Jackman
3) the writing - surprisingly captivating and tense
the cons:
1) (minor con) the run time - for what they have 2.5 hours is too much. Could've easily been condensed and would have been better for it.
2) The ending - Even though the twist was pretty predictable halfway through I didn't expect a "happy ending", which sort of didn't go with the flavor of the rest. On the other hand I can't think of a way to make a depressing ending for this that fits either...
3) Was it just me or did they try somewhat hard to shoe-horn some anti-atheism in there? The good people keep praying while the bad ones "wage a war on god" due to some prior trauma?
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Comments 1 - 15 of 42
The_Comatorium
http://thoughtsfromthebooth.com/2013/09/29/film-review-prisoners-2013/My Review
Ceejzor
SHIT ENDING!Beautiful movie.. first movie in a long time that I could not predict until it was almost over, beautifully directed & the acting ... sub par! <3
Cuadie
Quite disappointed. Recycling Jóhann Jóhannsson's soundtrack from Personal Effects (which is amazing, but I dislike using a soundtrack for multiple films). The plot was quite predictable.Hugh Jackman was mediocre, I don't think he's cut out for drama. Jake Gyllenhaal did a great job though.
I'd give it a 7.3/10.
BadFluffy
Predictable, long and overrated. This is nothing but the end of Mystic River stretched to a full movie with a predictable "twist" at the end.Note to studios: even if you take your audience for morons (which they are obviously), if you really want them not to put two and two together, try to have more characters in your whodunits because once every suspect has been eliminated, and remains only the Oscar nominee who had 2 lines... you tend to get predictable.
cfish80
Watchable but way overlong. The characterizations are weak - none of the actors really have much to work with. Jackman's performance is completely devoid of personality - it's one long bit of agony. Dano's role is ridiculous - even as a guy with the role of a 10-year old, he doesn't seem believable. Gyllenhaal's excessive, uncalled-for blinking got annoying. The second half was better than the first half. It's no masterpiece. but it's worth a look.dyin2live
The film was shot very well. However, I thought the antagonist was too predictable(or I have just seen to many thrillers). I called nearly everything right from the start of the investigation. As I said it was shot very well, so the reveal and everything leading up to it was thrilling none the less.filmclub
10/10wolski888
It is true that the acting is amazing! But this film left me kind of empty(if that even makes any sense). I guess I mean it left me with lots of questions. Not to go into spoilers but, what was the motive for kidnapping? So what is the deal with the certain time of reptile? Some scenes were so hard to watch, you almost start to feel hatred toward the main character...apetree83
Good movie but not a great film by any means. Very poor character and plot development. I had so many questions 45 mins into the film and even more, once it ended.lucafilm
I don't think this is a great movie, acting is mediocre and the story itself quite predictable. All though direction is somewhat good so i would recommend to have a look once but that's itChrisReynolds
Technical aspects are great: powerful performances, very good cinematography and strong direction that creates a bleak foreboding atmosphere. However the plot goes through a lot of convolutions to throw red herrings and clues at the viewer in a way that ended up feeling unbelievable. I was particularly disappointed by the revelation of a cartoonish villain at the end who doesn't seem to fit in with the tone. It recalls Mystic River with which it shares a lot of positives and negatives, but it also resembles Memories of Murder and The Vanishing (both of which are clearly superior) but with the darker parts filed off to make it more palatable for a mass audience.buc86
I feel like the plot could have been a lot more coherent and easier to follow if they had just cut out the character of Taylor. He's nothing more than a red herring. It also emphasizes the whole "main character has it right, and no one believes them" trope which kind of annoys me (reminded me of Gone and that's never a good thing).But with that said it was a great movie otherwise, just wonderful to look at, Villeneuve is the master of cinematography.
Micaescalada
I don't know why they didn't nominated this movie. For me it was the best of 2013.Shari.
This will stay in your mind.dantheman89
This one is a bit of a head scratcher...on the pro side:
1) the much cited atmosphere. I'm just a sucker for that bleak, lower middle-class rural America getup
2) the acting - Gyllenhaal and Jackman
3) the writing - surprisingly captivating and tense
the cons:
1) (minor con) the run time - for what they have 2.5 hours is too much. Could've easily been condensed and would have been better for it.
2) The ending - Even though the twist was pretty predictable halfway through I didn't expect a "happy ending", which sort of didn't go with the flavor of the rest. On the other hand I can't think of a way to make a depressing ending for this that fits either...
3) Was it just me or did they try somewhat hard to shoe-horn some anti-atheism in there? The good people keep praying while the bad ones "wage a war on god" due to some prior trauma?
overall not sad I saw it - 5.5/10
Showing items 1 – 15 of 42