A very strong opening frame from Villeneuve and DP Roger Deakins—gorgeous picture of the woods and then the Lord’s prayer from Hugh Jackman’s Keller Dover
A very strong opening frame from Villeneuve and DP “Roget Deakins—gorgeous picture of the woods and then the Lord’s prayer from Hugh Jackman’s Keller Dover
Jackson’s performance is big—showy- but appropriately so as the religious survivalist but family man under incredible circumstances
Gyllenhaal walks away with the film from a performance standpoint – and this is some feat with a cast that includes Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, the aforementioned Hugh Jackman, Paul Dano, Melissa Leo, and Maria Bello—- Gyllenhaal is making choices here and they all land—his Detective Loki is a superb realization. He’s squinty- blinky—has the freemason rings, the tattoos, the background with the 6 years in the Huntington school for boys—the buttoned up to the top button shirts
Gyllenhaal walks away with the film from a performance standpoint – and this is some feat with this cast
A moral tale on torture- not entirely different from 2012’s Zero Dark Thirty
Villeneuve and Deakins would team up again for 2017’s Blade Runner 2049
It also has a lot in common with Fincher’s Zodiac– it isn’t on that level but it’s dark (yes in mood, content and the actual lighting), a detective film with Gyllenhaal, the maze symbol/zodiac symbol- false leads
It also has a lot in common with Fincher’s Zodiac– it isn’t on that level but it’s dark (yes in mood, content and the actual lighting),
A dazzler of a shot in a Chinese restaurant- -gorgeous
A dazzler of a shot in a Chinese restaurant- -gorgeous
I’ve been on a bit of a Villeneuve spree (not full out study but would not rule one out in the near future)
I have to agree on Gyllenhaal’s performance here which is effective in large part because of the way he underplays a lot of scenes that you would expect otherwise. Initially he seems to be rather emotionless, approaching everything in a matter-of-fact way but gradually you see that this is not the case as he is internalizes the stress from his job and this results in a number of brief but intense bursts of anger.
One complaint some critics bring up that I agree with is I don’t think the film really utilzes the talents of the Terrence Howard and Viola Davis characters who I think are underwritten. This from a review from Wesley Morris including link below:
“He chooses to share his poor decision with Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard), his friend and the father of the other missing girl. (Viola Davis plays Mrs. Birch.) They’re men of so many ostensible differences (in class, temperament, and taste) that you’d really like to know what binds their families close enough to make them the sole participants of the biggest meal of the year.”
In a shorter film around the 90-100 min range this might have not been as big of a concern but given the films run time of
Given the film’s increased length, I wish they would have fleshed out more.
Would you move it up a little on your update?
@M*A*S*H- I do not think so- I believe this is a good spot/grade for it
[…] Prisoners – Villeneuve […]
I’ve been on a bit of a Villeneuve spree (not full out study but would not rule one out in the near future)
I have to agree on Gyllenhaal’s performance here which is effective in large part because of the way he underplays a lot of scenes that you would expect otherwise. Initially he seems to be rather emotionless, approaching everything in a matter-of-fact way but gradually you see that this is not the case as he is internalizes the stress from his job and this results in a number of brief but intense bursts of anger.
One complaint some critics bring up that I agree with is I don’t think the film really utilzes the talents of the Terrence Howard and Viola Davis characters who I think are underwritten. This from a review from Wesley Morris including link below:
“He chooses to share his poor decision with Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard), his friend and the father of the other missing girl. (Viola Davis plays Mrs. Birch.) They’re men of so many ostensible differences (in class, temperament, and taste) that you’d really like to know what binds their families close enough to make them the sole participants of the biggest meal of the year.”
In a shorter film around the 90-100 min range this might have not been as big of a concern but given the films run time of
Given the film’s increased length, I wish they would have fleshed out more.
https://grantland.com/features/chapter-2-more-horrors/