Rife with biblical allusions and ostensibly grounded in an old fashioned exploration of good vs. evil, Prisoners is more than just your standard kidnapping thriller. It explores the existence of evil, but not in the ghoulish abstract. Nor does it simply give the audience a jolt (which it does, expertly). Rather, it forces us to think about evil's complexity and everyday-ness—particularly the way it can grow and spread once it takes root, like the trees so eerily and intentionally present in so many of the film's frames.

Brett McCracken's commentary on Prisoners continues, along with his commentary on Rush.

Prisoners
Our Rating
3½ Stars - Good
Average Rating
 
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Mpaa Rating
R (For disturbing violent content including torture, and language throughout )
Directed By
Denis Villeneuve
Run Time
2 hours 33 minutes
Cast
Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis
Theatre Release
September 20, 2013 by Warner Bros.
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