Prisoners

A harrowing, adult drama filled with horror and heartache, French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villenueve's Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman as carpenter/handyman Keller Dover, who takes his son Ralph (Dylan Minnette) deer-hunting as part of the teenager's survivalist training (“Be ready” is Keller's credo). But nothing prepares Keller for the events of a cold Thanksgiving afternoon in suburban Pennsylvania when Keller and his wife, Grace (Maria Bello), Ralph, and 6-year-old daughter, Anna (Anna Gerasimovich), are sharing dinner with neighbors Franklin and Nancy Birch (Terrence Howard, Viola Davis) and their 7-year-old girl, Joy (Kyla-Drew Simmons). Anna and Joy simply disappear without a trace, and the only lead is a battered RV that was parked on the street earlier in the day. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) arrests its creepy, mentally-challenged driver (Paul Dano), despite protests from the latter's mother (Melissa Leo), but can find no evidence of abduction. Knowing that time is a critical factor, enraged Keller takes matters into his own hands. Unflinching, intense, and full of unexpected twists, this intricate thriller is built around complex emotional conflict, moral ambiguity, and sustained psychological suspense. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes "Powerful Performances" (10 min.) and "Every Moment Matters" (3 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a solid film.] (S. Granger)