Josephius Sanchez not exactly an amateur - he’s been acting since around age 10. He had a hit cult film Donnie Darko in his teens. I’d say he’s more refined his ability with films like Prisoners, Nocturnal Animals, Zodiac, Brokeback Mountain, and Nightcrawler. All underrated films in my opinion !
The part that gave me chills was the father trapped underground and leave you guessing did the cop ever think to check just once to see if the father was alive.
@The Messenger The ending suggests that he does find him. In fact, it was included in an alternate ending, but it was not included in the final cut, and I think for the better. Denis is always about subtlety.
One thing you're forgetting about the whistle is the scene in the hospital when the little girl is wheeled in to thank the detective he says " oh I see you've found the whistle" and the mother said no we never found it, this is a new one. Then at the last 30 seconds after he first hears it he shakes his head almost like no it couldn't be then he hears it for sure and I think at that moment he connected the dots and realized Dover was there using the whistle and no doubt found him alive.
@@greengob1iin864 that guy never knew of the whistle. He was so traumatized by his abduction as a child, that he acted and believed he had abducted the girls. To make that true he bought clothes that would fit them and stole clothes of them. He didn't know more than anyone reading the newspaper.
Dude seriously this is a great analogy. I never once thought about that. Gave me chills when I read this. Gonna go back right now on my day off and watch this movie.
It would have been so depressing (as if this movie isn't depressing enough) if he just shook his head, said to him, "eh, it's probably nothing" and drove off.
It's worth noting that, according to an interview with Gyllenhaal I read, they actually filmed Loki moving the car, lifting the plywood cover and discovering a half-dead Dover in the hole. The final shot of the film would've been them wordlessly locking eyes, with a "troubled" expression on Loki's face. The filmmakers decided to cut it very late in the process. I guess stuff like this proves that the expression "movies are made in the editing room" is actually true.
@@camdonking1919 I'm not sure, but I don't think he was debating leaving him there. I almost wonder if it was Loki seeing this strong father, reduced to a mess, who had tortured a young man, and was probably going to prison for a long time and realizing the emotional toll the case had taken on both of them.
camdon king prolly trouble cause he half dead and shot in a hole and is a missing persons case as well and maybe cause she beat Alex to a pulp too so Loki like damn it’s you
@@1000aaronaaronaaron I think this video does a good job of explaining it. The film is a slow burn, and another emotional rescue wasn't needed, and doesn't fit in with the sombre tone of the film, and finding Dover wouldn't even have been a great ending knowing what he'll have to face. We didn't need to see it - we know Loki, so we know Dover will be found. But to each their own, and I get what you're saying, it is a polarising film for sure.
@@jensb3946 It was actually true. All of the character in this movie are prisoners. Jake's character was a prisoner to the case. Hugh's character was a prisoner to himself. Hugh's wife chatacter was a prisoner to her emotions. Dano's character was a prisoner to his not so "aunt". The aunt's character was a prisoner to his husband and the "kidnapping thing"
Devita Hardijanto If you’re counting shit like ”a prisoner to her emotions” than yeah, I guess they were all prisoners. But that’s just overanalyzing, like if that’s true than everyone is a prisoner in real life, I guess I am a prisoner to my addiction to sugar.
Ending was perfect. It's not about "Did he find Dover or not". It's pretty obvious Mr. "Everything Matters" wouldn't sleep until he found the source of the whistle. The ending was a question to the audience: "Does Dover deserve to be pardoned for what he did to Alex?". It's still up in the air whether Alex is a twisted psychopath himself. He hurt the dog for no reason and showed zero remorse or sympathy towards the girls predicament. The movie is over in 2 seconds if he just says where the girls are, but he takes a beating instead.
He's practically autistic, Alex was told to have the iq of a 10 year old while in the body of a 20ish year old guy, so no the ending is not a question it's an answer, to show that even tho not completely evil and wrong Keller deserve all that happened to himself, yet again cus his actions were somewhat justifiable (even if just a little) he eventually got saved
@@michaeltagor4238 remember the unreliable narration tho. the aunt is the one who says alex has low IQ, there is reason to suspect she could be lying. and like the other commenter said, alex did hurt that dog. he's not autistic, he's antisocial. but that doesn't mean that keller 'deserves' what happened to him. i think the point of the movie is that people should NOT take law into their own hands and give people 'what they deserve.'
Alex was being fed that combination of drugs that made him catatonic to everything going on around him. Being fed that every day, for over 20 years since you are a young child. It causes damage to the brain that can never be fully recovered. Not to mention his social and intellectual development that a normal child would get was completely taken away from him. Alex doesn't feel anything at all because he is barely even a person. I am in disbelief at the number of people who see the movie and completely miss the point about his character.
Just because he hasn't won Oscars doesn't make him underrated. Anyone who watches film knows and respects him immensely. Plenty of people do, including his peers.
What I found the funniest in this film is how Keller's son gets pissed at him in one scene, gets silenced by his father, and then you don't see him for the rest of the film lol
lol His son was ignored throughout the movie. See, his son was supposed to be his closest friend and the one he trusted the most still of the 10ish characters this movie has, he's the less important one.
One thing I noticed is that the "fading to black" effect only happens whenever a prisoner is rescued/taken in in this movie (the movie cuts straight to another scene every other time). It happens at 4 points in this movie: 1. when Bob Taylor was arrested 2. when Barry/Alex was found by Loki 3. when Anna was taken to the hospital 4. at the end, when Loki heard Keller's whistle I thought it's pretty neat
That's a fair point, but they're pretty different works altogether. I wish David Fincher would direct a film adaptation of Heavy Rain so we could see the story to it's fullest cinematic potential.
Actually bought heavy rain again after watching prisoners for the 3rd time yesterday, it's been 4 years since i last finished heavy rain so this should be interesting, it's hard to compare games to movies but it must ring true seeing as the first thing i thought of at the credits was heavy rain lol
I'm sure that Loki saves Dover. As in the beginning we are told Loki always finishes his cases and find the culprits and in the movie he finally saves Anna. Now in the hospital when Dover wife asks him whether he would be able to find Dover, after minor second pauses and thinking Loki says: Yeah. So finally he must have found him..
Denis Villeneuve is by far my favourite director, and clearly going to go down in history as one of the greatest directors of all time: not as the "next Spielberg" or the "next Kubrick" or the "next Coppola", but just as "Villeneuve".
The scene where he is taking Anna to the hospital and is successful I jumped outta my chair screaming with joy The whole film was tense but that scene particularly holy shit that was so stressful
You make some good points but I think you missed mentioning the most important symbolic gesture this technique makes. The movie has a lot of religious themes, the main one being that the kidnappers steal children in order to steal their parents' faith. By the end of the movie it seems, for the most part, that things have worked out for the best. The children are safe, but the main question is what has it cost Dover. Did the kidnapper succeed in robbing him of his faith, and of his goodness. In this last scene Dover is literally in the ground, signalling for help, but he is also figuratively underground in a spiritual sense. He is in hell, signalling for help and redemption. That last shot, focusing on Gyllenhall's face, transposes how we all react to people who have done wrong, and how hard it can be for us to hear/find them for who they are. Just a thought, and probably a pretty corny interpretation if I were to read it again, but I think it's something that should be mentioned.
This is excellent. Also, Dover listens to Christian radio stations on his truck radio as well, letting the viewer know that Keller is a religious man. That hole was most certainly symbolic of hell for Dover. I have said elsewhere, though, that I don't think he has much to feel bad about, but maybe I'm fundamentally more like Dover than I realized.
Maybe at the end when he blows the whistle signals his recognition of how far he has gone and he’s looking for redemption, to be saved. One last cry for someone to help him.
Loki (jake) would have not returned to the Photo frame if Dover hadnt tortured Alex in first place. So Dover saved his daughter. Alex could have told earlier but he didnt which cost him more pain.
I think that he is found, he keeps his leg, the gunshot wound is in the lower thigh and didn't hit his femoral artery, or else he would have died much sooner. He will spend some time behind bars, but not nearly as much as someone who committed the same crime out of malevolence. The judge and prosecutor would empathize with his situation, while also realizing he had to be punished, and he likely would have gotten something in the range of 3-7 years. I seriously doubt he would have lost his family. They would understand why he did it, and would stand by him. That's my logical conclusion.
Agree also Loki (jake) would have not returned to the Photo frame if Dover hadnt tortured Alex in first place. So Dover saved his daughter. Also he had gotten shot in leg by aunt which means he got found out first and wasnt involved in kidnapping but saving his loved daughter.
He definitely getting more than 7 years for kidnapping and torturing somebody, it doesn’t matter why. The dude ended up being completely innocent in the end anyways and was realized to be a victim himself. So the judge won’t care about Hugh jack mans reasoning.
Symbolically he lost his family and faith in the pursuit of saving his daughter. The question is whether or not he can regain it, he prays while in the hole in an attempt to regain his faith, but whether or not he does (gets rescued by loki) is left open.
Honestly don't know why this never got an Oscar. This is clearly one of the best films ever made in my lifetime. Certainly the best performance of HJ I've seen.
Also a small thing that you didn’t mention, that really adds logistics to the end: the director purposefully includes a shot of the police excavation team turning off the stereo they were listening to. The stereo would have negated the team from hearing the whistle themselves.
There's also the symbolism of the whistle itself. It stands for facing up to the truth. To "blow the whistle" is to speak out against injustice, to call it out. In the story, as long as the truth wasn't faced up to, the characters were kept imprisoned in one way or another. Hugh Jackman's character in particular has to blow the whistle on his own self in order save his life. Although a God-fearing man, he's gone far from the right path, captive to his obsession. It's ruined his psyche, his emotions, his relationships - and his position in the darkness of the pit literalises his spiritual imprisonment.
anthtan To me, the whistle represents faith in other people. Keller clearly values self-reliance, as evidenced by his disaster preparedness and his monologue to his son at the beginning of the movie. Thus, he doesn't like having to rely on other people, as evidenced by his discomfort at having to sit back and let the police do their job, even before their ineptitude had become clear. However, at the end, he can't do anything to save himself, and can only blow the whistle and have faith that someone will hear it and find him. Whether or not that faith is well placed depends on whether Loki finds him or not after the cut to black.
I still to this day don't know how Gyllenhaal and Jackman did not get nominated for an Oscar for their roles. Jake was also great in Nightcrawler but was also not nominated. Prisoners was an emotionally exhausting film but man it was so GOOD!
This movie was godcdamn brilliant. From Gyllenhaal blink twitching, showing the ripped apart family's from the kidnapping and how far desperation pushes the average person, just brilliant
I didn't think Jackman's character blowing the whistle signified resilience. I thought of it as him coming to terms with what he's done. I think it would be easy to fall apart after having done something like that to an innocent person, a victim even. To blow the whistle is to declare that he's still worth something, deserves to and wants to live.
Alex was a victim (in part), but very far from innocent. Additionally, Keller's instincts were right: Alex took the girls (though he didn't intend to keep them), knew where they were being held (his house), and knew what was happening to them (drugged, prisoners, eventually they would be murdered and disappeared). Some of these details were unknown to Keller (importantly the "Aunt's" involvement and the twist of Alex being abducted himself as a child), but Keller had the right guy while the cops flailed. Alex withheld information from Keller and the authorities, brazenly lied, played dumb, and glibly antagonized Keller (on more than one occasion). Alex was also willing to slash Keller, Nancy, and Franklin with the broken glass to escape, rather than do the right thing and reveal the location of the girls. Keller on the other hand only did one thing wrong: he should have started his interrogation with waterboarding.
this movie shock me to the core, the way the characters develope and the pain they go through is uncanny. what they did to the mentally ill kid terrified the shit out of me.
Everything about this movie is great, the soundtrack, the cast, the writing, the pacing, the overall dreading vibe to it..we don't get movies like this anymore
Great video man. Well thought out, analysed, paced, edited, narrated. Really good. Thanks for this man. This film for me is something that is becoming more and more rare; and you described it perfectly. Thank you.
Wow after watchin Arrival and Enemy I realise how good director Denis is. His films are very mysterious and different from each othrr. Awesome director.
Denis is a brilliant film maker, I would say quickly becoming an all time great. What is sad, is how overlooked his movies are in the grand scheme of things, but his films are astounding. An underrated master.
Jake is such a great actor and one of the most underrated too. I personally think hes up there with Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Mathew McConaughey, Leonardo Dicaprio but to me it seems he isnt nearly as famous as them
In an interview with screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski it is explained that an ending where Keller is found by Loki was actually filmed, but was deliberately decided against in favour of a more ambiguous ending: On the decision to end the movie with a cliffhanger: “Oddly enough, that’s how it was in the script when it was bought. And it never really changed. When we were shooting, we did shoot a version where it goes a little beyond where the fade out is. There’s a version where he moves the car and sees Hugh down there, and so on. None of us really wanted to do that version, but we wanted to make sure we had it in case once the film was put together it seemed like it really needed it. But after testing the film with the ending it has now, everyone decided that was definitely the way to go. Joel Cox, the editor, felt very strongly about it. I just think that’s the moment when the movie is ready to end.” And the ending that was shot but didn’t get used was… “They move the car. They see he’s down there. You know he’s going to be taken out of the hole. I like it much better being ambiguous. Even though you assume that’s what’s probably going to happen, I like that there’s a small chance that he’s not going to get him out of there for whatever reason.”
I feel this analysis missed the most important part of the 30 seconds. It keeps the Jackman character in a symbolic state of purgatory. The question is raised if whether he will escape that spiritual hole which the entire ordeal of losing his children has brought upon his being.
What makes this one of my favorite movies is how strikingly realistic it is. The acting is so good you forget your watching a movie. When you consider the topic of this movie it is no wonder why this movie was not more popular ... it is so well done it is truly disturbing.
One of my favorite movies with many of my favorite actors. Gyllenhaal doesn't get nearly enough credit. The guy is a fucking incredible actor in anything he does. He learns as much as he can before any role and studies as much as he can. He's dedicated and that's rare these days.
There is also the obvious fact that Villeneuve never gives us that moment of catharsis in any scenes. For example he doesn't show us Loki deliver the kidnapped girl after the dramatic race to the hospital. This cutting away at the end would make no sense if it was the only time Villeneuve used it in the film. He sets it up throughout the movie. It is only good story telling because he gets us used to the idea as the story unfolds.
Indeed. And perhaps there is no catharsis because such awful experiences of trauma don't easily get resolved or fixed. One of the great things about the ending is that, after two hours of wanting to see things resolved - to breathe a sigh of relief - we are left without a final resolution. Much like the characters in the film.
vivthefree also, the locket in the film, the final puzzle, the side character detective says he tried to solve it but it’s impossible, there’s no ending. Genius.
Hugh Jackman proves how such a great actor he is in this movie. But also Jake Gyllenhaal is amazing. Prisoners, Night Crawler, South Paw, Nocturnal Animals, Brokeback Mountain, Donnie Darko, End of Watch, Zodiac... he's brilliant in all of them.
Loki found him and save him. In his trial, the jury and the Judge will definitely have compassion for him and will gave him something like 2-3 years in jail (he will go out after half of that time). He will not lose his family for sure (you can tell that if you remember what his wife said to Loki in the hospital). No way story can be any different than this :D
He work with David fincher and Ang Lee. And that’s good. He was also in a MCU movie. He need also another Oscar nomination. Because most of his movies are underrated or made by not known director. Great movies, perfomance and director, but just sooo underrated
dennis villanueva does this almost in all his films which make them so intriguing and memorable. Look at blade runner 2049 ending. some similarities there. he knows how to mesh great stories with strong character development. its like he has the perfect formula for a perfect film.
His eye tics in this movie are one of my favorite subtle details an actor has done to change their character ever-so-slightly. Like yeah that’s Gyllenhaal with a neck tattoo and greasy haircut but the tic gave his character that extra bit of depth for whatever reason. Need more of those subtle mannerisms from actors.
I think the best part about the ending for me is the fact that the whole time, Loki has been obsessed with tying up the loose ends of the case, but the movie ending early prevents the character from doing that, which kind of shows that it’ll never be over for him.
Since dover was shot in the leg that means he found about the girls way before cops and was right from the start. Actually, he helped in finding his daughter because if he wouldnt have tortured alex the detective would have not returned to photo frame and connected the dots. Amazing movie time well spent.
I see some people write how Alex was innocent and Dover had done horrible crime. Alex was everything but innocent. He's the one who took the girls at the first place. He should tell the truth when police got him and set himself and the girls free (aunt had nothing to blackmail him) but no, he rather protect aunt even he knew aunt will kill them. He become sadistic prick (remember how he hang that dog). Yes he was victim in the past but that's not any excuse for his acts. Only thing I think Dover done wrong is the way he torture him since there's lot of ways to cause more pain with less scars on the body :)
Top 1 for Netflix now ! I cried watching this ! May all the children’s that have been taken for no reasons be in peace 😭😭 No child deserves this ! God we need you ❤️❤️❤️❤️
If you guys looking for similar movies like this. With a strong character and mystery. Try this: Memento Shutter Island Prestige Lie to me Oldboy (korean) Zodiac The silence of the lamb Good epic movies, you the mystery thriller addict should be like those list! Try me
This movie always gets me. It’s so good across the board. I can actually imagine a future where Loki is at family cookouts. He saves him in the end. Can imagine the lifelong bond that would create?
Brilliant breakdown. This movie did an amazing job at creating believable 'red herrings' and not just one of them. The ending always struck me as such a great way to end this story and the acting throughout the film was riveting.
I absolutely agree with you. I get what the filmmakers where trying to get across, but the ending was a lot of wasted potential. The rest of the film is astounding though.
especially after watching the magnificent race to the hospital scene...that shot when the car merges with the freeway traffic, with the rain refracting and distorting the passing car head and rear lights...it is one of the most beautiful shots I have ever seen. If the film has an emotional high point, it was there during that race, for me anyway.
@@davidlean1060 - thought I was the only geek that noticed that shot. Such a quick shot but beautifully done. I swear I rewinded it like 5 times to watch the damn framing. My wife was like oh no, he's going into director mode. Lol There's a sweeping, low angle drive by shot of a chase in Long Kiss Goodnight. Forget the silly stunts, that shot sold me on the drama of the scene. I remember it from the trailer and its been in my head ever since - decades later.
I am by no means a Villeneuve fan I should add, but that scene I just had to applaud. It is beautiful looking. I think Deakins was thinking about Van Gough paintings when he came to shoot it. It also serves the story because it represents how the barely conscious Loki is 'seeing' the world right there and then. As far as car chases go though, there can only be one and that's the chase in The French Connection. The fact Friedkin had no permission to drive around New York at 80 mph also adds to the authenticity of the scene....it looks real because they really did it!! Hackman really did plough into that car (the lady with the baby carriage was staged though). @@shill1444
Though Jake Gyllenhaal deserves immense praise for his acting abilities, I believe even Paul Dano deserves recognition for his performances over the past few years.
Keller also was the one trying to help the kids and do things himself. At the end he is now relying on others to help him as he is now incapable of doing anything which is what he did to Alex. His whole theme was resilience but also stubbornness and now he is forced to not do things himself
When the daughter Anna first describes losing the whistle, Grace mouths something and points at Dover. I can't be 100% certain as I don't know what Grace mouths but I think it's implying Dover might have hid her whistle initially, presumably as it could have just been a general nuisance if she used it a lot as she was very fond of it. I think this adds to his character and why he's so determined, he feels personally responsible as he's linked her disappearance to the very initial reason Anna left with Joy in the first place - to find the whistle that he knows he hid.
the whistle has been lost for 133 days now ... remember? that was the statement at the beginning of the movie. And one more thing .. it seems like the captain friend (also a cop) killed himself 13 years ago in the same building that the Dovers were initially living ... seen in the newspaper when Loki reads.
I feel that there is a major theme of being “saved” through the film. Who is the saviour, and who needs to be saved. Gyllenhaal saving his career/reputation as well as the girls. Jackman obviously saving his daughter but also saving his sanity and needing to be saved from himself. I feel the whistle placed Jackman back into the needing saving category, and the ending leaving us with the question of just whether or not Jackman was too far gone to be saved or not. Excellent film.
Wow, Fantastic video Perry. I have to admit, this is without a doubt, my all time favorite movie! :) I think part of it does have to do with the ending:) what happens? Does he go to jail? I would have loved to see him hug his little daughter at the end. He was her true hero. I can't watch other movies anymore because they are just not up to par with this amazing story telling and suspense driven passion behind the film. Keep it up. Thank you so much for explaining how amazing the last 30 seconds are.
oh you know he went to jail..no matter the circumstances or what ever the other people did to deserve it he still kidnapped someone and tortured him. In the eyes of the law they don't care what your reasons were even if everyone else in that room would do the same thing as a father. The law is the law and he broke it.
guitarman0365 Jail...yes....prison...doubtful. As it's a crime of passion, and the DA would have to decide to prosecute since the Paul Dano character is not mentally capable. That's if he even survived.
Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't get enough credit...he has become an amazing actor over the last 8 years.
Brian Mcminn if a new movie comes out w jake gyllenhaal im watching it
ImpartialSportsGuy he’s going to be in the new Spider-Man movie!!!
In my top 5
Amateur turning professional.
Josephius Sanchez not exactly an amateur - he’s been acting since around age 10. He had a hit cult film Donnie Darko in his teens. I’d say he’s more refined his ability with films like Prisoners, Nocturnal Animals, Zodiac, Brokeback Mountain, and Nightcrawler. All underrated films in my opinion !
One of the most underappreciated movies ever
Ginny Weasley this movie is what got me into film
An overlooked masterpiece
The part that gave me chills was the father trapped underground and leave you guessing did the cop ever think to check just once to see if the father was alive.
@The Messenger The ending suggests that he does find him. In fact, it was included in an alternate ending, but it was not included in the final cut, and I think for the better. Denis is always about subtlety.
Ikr you never here anything about it when I first watched this movie i was on the edge of my seat the whole time
When u realize that dead guy below the priests place is the old ladies husband
I'm ashamed I only realized that on the 2nd time I watched it through
Realized it immediately when the aunt brings out her gun.
Wttttfffff mindblown afffff
I realized as soon i saw comment of urs...
I got that too, im proud hahahah
One thing you're forgetting about the whistle is the scene in the hospital when the little girl is wheeled in to thank the detective he says " oh I see you've found the whistle" and the mother said no we never found it, this is a new one. Then at the last 30 seconds after he first hears it he shakes his head almost like no it couldn't be then he hears it for sure and I think at that moment he connected the dots and realized Dover was there using the whistle and no doubt found him alive.
why did i never put those two things together??? Wow thanks that adds up
2 whistles a possibility? There was 2 sets of clothes from the guy in the house of containers and snakes
I HOPE, or else I'm crying
@@greengob1iin864 that guy never knew of the whistle. He was so traumatized by his abduction as a child, that he acted and believed he had abducted the girls. To make that true he bought clothes that would fit them and stole clothes of them. He didn't know more than anyone reading the newspaper.
Dude seriously this is a great analogy. I never once thought about that. Gave me chills when I read this. Gonna go back right now on my day off and watch this movie.
It would have been so depressing (as if this movie isn't depressing enough) if he just shook his head, said to him, "eh, it's probably nothing" and drove off.
That's how I interpreted it :((
But like the video said, the movie did a great job of establishing that doing that would be against everything we've learned about him.
Angela Oriel you were wrong
Erica Love exactly
Lol
It's worth noting that, according to an interview with Gyllenhaal I read, they actually filmed Loki moving the car, lifting the plywood cover and discovering a half-dead Dover in the hole. The final shot of the film would've been them wordlessly locking eyes, with a "troubled" expression on Loki's face. The filmmakers decided to cut it very late in the process.
I guess stuff like this proves that the expression "movies are made in the editing room" is actually true.
what was the troubled expression for? was loki debating leaving him there?
@@camdonking1919 I'm not sure, but I don't think he was debating leaving him there. I almost wonder if it was Loki seeing this strong father, reduced to a mess, who had tortured a young man, and was probably going to prison for a long time and realizing the emotional toll the case had taken on both of them.
camdon king prolly trouble cause he half dead and shot in a hole and is a missing persons case as well and maybe cause she beat Alex to a pulp too so Loki like damn it’s you
@@meggy0 why not? I don't get why it would have made it worse. I think tying it up with a definitive ended is good
@@1000aaronaaronaaron I think this video does a good job of explaining it. The film is a slow burn, and another emotional rescue wasn't needed, and doesn't fit in with the sombre tone of the film, and finding Dover wouldn't even have been a great ending knowing what he'll have to face. We didn't need to see it - we know Loki, so we know Dover will be found. But to each their own, and I get what you're saying, it is a polarising film for sure.
Agreed! Prisoners is a fantastic movie from start to finish.
every movie directed by Denis Villeneuve is fantastic
most underrated movie ever
Vinayaka oo
Waiting for the 2nd part
Abhishek Kumar I'm afraid it'll never happen... luckily
Was expecting you to mention how every character is a "prisoner" in different ways.
I felt that to be true in the film as well..
Tonio This is simply untrue, how the hell was the wife of the neighbor family a prisoner?
@@jensb3946 It was actually true. All of the character in this movie are prisoners. Jake's character was a prisoner to the case. Hugh's character was a prisoner to himself. Hugh's wife chatacter was a prisoner to her emotions. Dano's character was a prisoner to his not so "aunt". The aunt's character was a prisoner to his husband and the "kidnapping thing"
Devita Hardijanto If you’re counting shit like ”a prisoner to her emotions” than yeah, I guess they were all prisoners. But that’s just overanalyzing, like if that’s true than everyone is a prisoner in real life, I guess I am a prisoner to my addiction to sugar.
@@jensb3946 And maybe that is the point?
Ending was perfect. It's not about "Did he find Dover or not". It's pretty obvious Mr. "Everything Matters" wouldn't sleep until he found the source of the whistle. The ending was a question to the audience: "Does Dover deserve to be pardoned for what he did to Alex?". It's still up in the air whether Alex is a twisted psychopath himself. He hurt the dog for no reason and showed zero remorse or sympathy towards the girls predicament. The movie is over in 2 seconds if he just says where the girls are, but he takes a beating instead.
He's practically autistic, Alex was told to have the iq of a 10 year old while in the body of a 20ish year old guy, so no the ending is not a question it's an answer, to show that even tho not completely evil and wrong Keller deserve all that happened to himself, yet again cus his actions were somewhat justifiable (even if just a little) he eventually got saved
@@michaeltagor4238 alex was acting stupid to the police to throw them off
@@Napthas not intentionally, I told you he's basically autistic
@@michaeltagor4238 remember the unreliable narration tho. the aunt is the one who says alex has low IQ, there is reason to suspect she could be lying. and like the other commenter said, alex did hurt that dog. he's not autistic, he's antisocial. but that doesn't mean that keller 'deserves' what happened to him. i think the point of the movie is that people should NOT take law into their own hands and give people 'what they deserve.'
Alex was being fed that combination of drugs that made him catatonic to everything going on around him. Being fed that every day, for over 20 years since you are a young child. It causes damage to the brain that can never be fully recovered. Not to mention his social and intellectual development that a normal child would get was completely taken away from him. Alex doesn't feel anything at all because he is barely even a person. I am in disbelief at the number of people who see the movie and completely miss the point about his character.
Jake Gyllenhaal, possibly the most underrated actor of all time.
I K E not possibly. Certainly.
He deserves at least two Oscars (one for Nightcrawler, and another for... you guessed it, Prisoners).
Just because he hasn't won Oscars doesn't make him underrated. Anyone who watches film knows and respects him immensely. Plenty of people do, including his peers.
And james mcavoy
Hugh Jackman should got Oscar's for this and Logan!
Choi Min Sik is also underrated. He's a legend in Korea. If you doubt it, watch "Oldboy" and "I saw the Devil"
What I found the funniest in this film is how Keller's son gets pissed at him in one scene, gets silenced by his father, and then you don't see him for the rest of the film lol
lol
His son was ignored throughout the movie. See, his son was supposed to be his closest friend and the one he trusted the most still of the 10ish characters this movie has, he's the less important one.
You actually see him at the end scene of Loki in the hospital with everyone else
Blood Orange Sun he didnt commit suicude in her house?
@@genghiskhan4356 comment wasn't saying that, meant "the guy who later commited suicide" was in her house.
TheArchitect_24 stop it 😵😂
One thing I noticed is that the "fading to black" effect only happens whenever a prisoner is rescued/taken in in this movie (the movie cuts straight to another scene every other time). It happens at 4 points in this movie:
1. when Bob Taylor was arrested
2. when Barry/Alex was found by Loki
3. when Anna was taken to the hospital
4. at the end, when Loki heard Keller's whistle
I thought it's pretty neat
Hey that’s pretty cool
but it doesnt fade at the end, it cuts to titles
Doesn't that happen when Keller kidnaps Alex too? I remember the jolt of the cut to the next scene.
That's a cool observation. Somebody said it just cuts, but if that is true, that's really cool!
Sick detail
Why the last 30 seconds of prisoners is perfect?
I'll tell you why: JAKE GYLLENHAAL
yep
You couldn't have said it better!!
More like the previous scenes all building up to this last scene, which was driven by Jake Gyllenhaal. But yeah basically that.
Yeah and cinematography and direction
Why is everyone hanging on Jakes nutsac?! Hugh Jackman was by far the best in this movie.
Just finished the movie, hands down one of the best movies ever. And the last scene I swear I was about to scream “COME ON FUUUUCK”
I just finished watching the movie.. I had the same reaction 🤣 I came on here to see if anyone else did too LOL
I just watched it again, this movie truly is the best of all time
Just watched it for the first time too screaming to myself the same thing 😂😂😂
just finished it man. felt the same
funny how most of us had the same reaction - just finished watching it, for the first time.
This movie seems like the better version of heavy rain
Dapper Crown exactly that's what I was thinking
Finally watched this on Netflix today and I was thinking exactly the same thing
The two doesnt have anything to do with each other,only the child kidnapped part
That's a fair point, but they're pretty different works altogether. I wish David Fincher would direct a film adaptation of Heavy Rain so we could see the story to it's fullest cinematic potential.
Actually bought heavy rain again after watching prisoners for the 3rd time yesterday, it's been 4 years since i last finished heavy rain so this should be interesting, it's hard to compare games to movies but it must ring true seeing as the first thing i thought of at the credits was heavy rain lol
I'm sure that Loki saves Dover. As in the beginning we are told Loki always finishes his cases and find the culprits and in the movie he finally saves Anna. Now in the hospital when Dover wife asks him whether he would be able to find Dover, after minor second pauses and thinking Loki says: Yeah. So finally he must have found him..
Well there is always a first to everything
I didn't even think that was a debate. He obviously hears the whistle and saves him.
@@thegolfdude the actual question is if kelly could still survive at that point...
I remember I saw this movie and figured Hugh Jackman deserved an Oscar...than I saw Logan and was like *HUGH JACKMAN DESERVES AN OSCAR*
Darryl I didn’t really like the child actress, I feel like her acting wasn’t that well
Yeah People forget hugh came from a Theater /Broadway Background.. Homie has Class.. And is a Supeb actor..
@@elpescado8949 none of this child actors were good in logan IMO
The National Real Estate Post honestly
Why can't I like this comment 500000 fucking times?
This will all be resolved in the upcoming "Prisoners 2: The Reckoning" directed by Michael Bay.
KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!
i fucking hate you
Prisoners 2: Day of the Franchise
Fucking fuck you
I'm fucking dead lmao
Denis Villeneuve is by far my favourite director, and clearly going to go down in history as one of the greatest directors of all time: not as the "next Spielberg" or the "next Kubrick" or the "next Coppola", but just as "Villeneuve".
That's a fucking riduiculous statement. Where is Villeneuve's 2001?
Blade Runner 2049
Villeneuve did what Kubrick died too soon to do. Direct a blade runner. Also I hope he gets the recognition he deserves.
@@Nautilus1972 Blade Runner 2049, Enemy, Arrival, Prisoners, Sicario, Les Incendies... All his films are masterworks.
@@Nautilus1972 wait for Dune
This is a tough movie to watch. Very heavy
I couldn't bear it😰
Heavy...like rain? *ba dum....tiss*
You may like the movie "The Treatment".
If you think this movie is tough, you should watch his earlier movie called Incendies.
@@ShazzPotz oh my god incedies makes prisoners seem.mild in comparison holy fuck
DUDE. HOLY SHIT THIS IS THE FIRST MOVIE IN YEARS THAT HAS CAPTURED MY FULL 105% ATTENTION OMG
I was the same exact way! I never paid so close attention to anything in my life other than this movie.
You need to see more good cinema and not only the blockbusters, then... There are plenty out there
@@AlbertoFolres any recomendations?
@@robinphonk4130 Good Time and Uncut Gems
@RobinPhonk! Hostiles starring Christian Bale. One of my all time favorites. It is indeed gut wrenching like this one.
I remember I got chills when I saw this in theaters
The scene where he is taking Anna to the hospital and is successful I jumped outta my chair screaming with joy
The whole film was tense but that scene particularly holy shit that was so stressful
You make some good points but I think you missed mentioning the most important symbolic gesture this technique makes. The movie has a lot of religious themes, the main one being that the kidnappers steal children in order to steal their parents' faith.
By the end of the movie it seems, for the most part, that things have worked out for the best. The children are safe, but the main question is what has it cost Dover. Did the kidnapper succeed in robbing him of his faith, and of his goodness.
In this last scene Dover is literally in the ground, signalling for help, but he is also figuratively underground in a spiritual sense. He is in hell, signalling for help and redemption.
That last shot, focusing on Gyllenhall's face, transposes how we all react to people who have done wrong, and how hard it can be for us to hear/find them for who they are.
Just a thought, and probably a pretty corny interpretation if I were to read it again, but I think it's something that should be mentioned.
This is excellent. Also, Dover listens to Christian radio stations on his truck radio as well, letting the viewer know that Keller is a religious man. That hole was most certainly symbolic of hell for Dover. I have said elsewhere, though, that I don't think he has much to feel bad about, but maybe I'm fundamentally more like Dover than I realized.
Maybe at the end when he blows the whistle signals his recognition of how far he has gone and he’s looking for redemption, to be saved. One last cry for someone to help him.
Loki (jake) would have not returned to the Photo frame if Dover hadnt tortured Alex in first place. So Dover saved his daughter. Alex could have told earlier but he didnt which cost him more pain.
At the end he still prays for his daughter's protection
@@joekravitz1918 but he is redeemed and is forgiven.
I think that he is found, he keeps his leg, the gunshot wound is in the lower thigh and didn't hit his femoral artery, or else he would have died much sooner. He will spend some time behind bars, but not nearly as much as someone who committed the same crime out of malevolence. The judge and prosecutor would empathize with his situation, while also realizing he had to be punished, and he likely would have gotten something in the range of 3-7 years. I seriously doubt he would have lost his family. They would understand why he did it, and would stand by him. That's my logical conclusion.
Agree also Loki (jake) would have not returned to the Photo frame if Dover hadnt tortured Alex in first place. So Dover saved his daughter. Also he had gotten shot in leg by aunt which means he got found out first and wasnt involved in kidnapping but saving his loved daughter.
Randomfully Wonderful Mrs Dover said he did the right thing to Loki in the hospital
Reminds me of Crime and Punishments ending
He definitely getting more than 7 years for kidnapping and torturing somebody, it doesn’t matter why. The dude ended up being completely innocent in the end anyways and was realized to be a victim himself. So the judge won’t care about Hugh jack mans reasoning.
Symbolically he lost his family and faith in the pursuit of saving his daughter. The question is whether or not he can regain it, he prays while in the hole in an attempt to regain his faith, but whether or not he does (gets rescued by loki) is left open.
Honestly don't know why this never got an Oscar. This is clearly one of the best films ever made in my lifetime. Certainly the best performance of HJ I've seen.
Also a small thing that you didn’t mention, that really adds logistics to the end: the director purposefully includes a shot of the police excavation team turning off the stereo they were listening to. The stereo would have negated the team from hearing the whistle themselves.
There's also the symbolism of the whistle itself. It stands for facing up to the truth. To "blow the whistle" is to speak out against injustice, to call it out. In the story, as long as the truth wasn't faced up to, the characters were kept imprisoned in one way or another. Hugh Jackman's character in particular has to blow the whistle on his own self in order save his life. Although a God-fearing man, he's gone far from the right path, captive to his obsession. It's ruined his psyche, his emotions, his relationships - and his position in the darkness of the pit literalises his spiritual imprisonment.
anthtan thats a cool theory but i doubt thas the symbolism they meant
anthtan To me, the whistle represents faith in other people. Keller clearly values self-reliance, as evidenced by his disaster preparedness and his monologue to his son at the beginning of the movie. Thus, he doesn't like having to rely on other people, as evidenced by his discomfort at having to sit back and let the police do their job, even before their ineptitude had become clear. However, at the end, he can't do anything to save himself, and can only blow the whistle and have faith that someone will hear it and find him. Whether or not that faith is well placed depends on whether Loki finds him or not after the cut to black.
thats a REACH
anthtan yeah but in this movie it’s just blowing a whistle, none of the meaning and stuff you said is relevant
@@NiightDJ why not? Why can't a movie have symbolism and theories? You dumb or what?
Wonderful video about masterpiece of film that doesn't get enough credit.
Movie is Goat, what are you on about
@@katorogojeta6496 If you bring up the movie to alot of people they won't know what you're talking about unless they're cinema fans
The movie has way too many frustratingly idiotic moments
I still to this day don't know how Gyllenhaal and Jackman did not get nominated for an Oscar for their roles. Jake was also great in Nightcrawler but was also not nominated. Prisoners was an emotionally exhausting film but man it was so GOOD!
This movie was a pleasant surprise...Acting was great, and the story kept me invested until the last second
This movie was godcdamn brilliant. From Gyllenhaal blink twitching, showing the ripped apart family's from the kidnapping and how far desperation pushes the average person, just brilliant
Jake is crushing it as an actor, guys amazing, that night crawler film was class.
I didn't think Jackman's character blowing the whistle signified resilience. I thought of it as him coming to terms with what he's done. I think it would be easy to fall apart after having done something like that to an innocent person, a victim even. To blow the whistle is to declare that he's still worth something, deserves to and wants to live.
I think he heard ppl above him.. And tried to signal them.. The hole was steep but not that steep..
Alex was a victim (in part), but very far from innocent. Additionally, Keller's instincts were right: Alex took the girls (though he didn't intend to keep them), knew where they were being held (his house), and knew what was happening to them (drugged, prisoners, eventually they would be murdered and disappeared). Some of these details were unknown to Keller (importantly the "Aunt's" involvement and the twist of Alex being abducted himself as a child), but Keller had the right guy while the cops flailed. Alex withheld information from Keller and the authorities, brazenly lied, played dumb, and glibly antagonized Keller (on more than one occasion). Alex was also willing to slash Keller, Nancy, and Franklin with the broken glass to escape, rather than do the right thing and reveal the location of the girls. Keller on the other hand only did one thing wrong: he should have started his interrogation with waterboarding.
DemiGod _Scrub he would have screamed then
@@joekravitz1918 🖒🖒🖒
But Loki (jake) would have not returned to the Photo frame if Dover hadnt tortured Alex in first place. So Dover saved his daughter.
I just randomly rewatched this movie after 6_7 years and it gave me a taste of how the movies were good back then, like damn it was good.
Implying they're not now? This film is fuckin perfect though
In my head Dover got saved, family stays by him through trial, he doesn’t get off easy but he gets severely reduced sentence
this movie shock me to the core, the way the characters develope and the pain they go through is uncanny.
what they did to the mentally ill kid terrified the shit out of me.
Prisoners was a work of art
Everything about this movie is great, the soundtrack, the cast, the writing, the pacing, the overall dreading vibe to it..we don't get movies like this anymore
Great video man. Well thought out, analysed, paced, edited, narrated. Really good. Thanks for this man. This film for me is something that is becoming more and more rare; and you described it perfectly. Thank you.
Wow after watchin Arrival and Enemy I realise how good director Denis is. His films are very mysterious and different from each othrr. Awesome director.
Definitely watch his other movies. Incendies, Sicario, truly amazing.
Denis is a brilliant film maker, I would say quickly becoming an all time great. What is sad, is how overlooked his movies are in the grand scheme of things, but his films are astounding. An underrated master.
I loved this movie but arrival i found mediocre at best
I love this movie SO MUCH, but I've never heard anyone else talk about it!
Me either and its a movie watched more than once, thats a high five stars. Ppl really got to love it.
I don’t care what anyone says, this is the greatest film ever made.
Jake is such a great actor and one of the most underrated too. I personally think hes up there with Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Mathew McConaughey, Leonardo Dicaprio but to me it seems he isnt nearly as famous as them
Nah he is
MASTAHPEACE
seeing this here randomly...i feel like the will of dunkey is slowing eating the internet over time.
I just came here to look for my remote control.
threeouttafive
Mike Tyson
Knack was better
This film was a masterpiece! Pure Perfection! I love it!
In an interview with screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski it is explained that an ending where Keller is found by Loki was actually filmed, but was deliberately decided against in favour of a more ambiguous ending:
On the decision to end the movie with a cliffhanger:
“Oddly enough, that’s how it was in the script when it was bought. And it never really changed. When we were shooting, we did shoot a version where it goes a little beyond where the fade out is. There’s a version where he moves the car and sees Hugh down there, and so on. None of us really wanted to do that version, but we wanted to make sure we had it in case once the film was put together it seemed like it really needed it. But after testing the film with the ending it has now, everyone decided that was definitely the way to go. Joel Cox, the editor, felt very strongly about it. I just think that’s the moment when the movie is ready to end.”
And the ending that was shot but didn’t get used was…
“They move the car. They see he’s down there. You know he’s going to be taken out of the hole. I like it much better being ambiguous. Even though you assume that’s what’s probably going to happen, I like that there’s a small chance that he’s not going to get him out of there for whatever reason.”
Actually, I didnt like the ambigous ending. that spoilt my impression markedly
This is my second favorite movie of all time. It’s just incredible.
It's my number one personally - what's your number one?
Man on Fire is my number 1 but this is an extremely close second.
I feel this analysis missed the most important part of the 30 seconds. It keeps the Jackman character in a symbolic state of purgatory. The question is raised if whether he will escape that spiritual hole which the entire ordeal of losing his children has brought upon his being.
great point
What makes this one of my favorite movies is how strikingly realistic it is. The acting is so good you forget your watching a movie. When you consider the topic of this movie it is no wonder why this movie was not more popular ... it is so well done it is truly disturbing.
Pray for the best, but prepare for the worst 👌
hugh deserved an oscar shout for this movie. His acting was absolutely impeccable...
From the acting to the narrative to the score, everything was masterful
Jake Gylennhall simply stole the show👌👌🤘🤘
I think he was good, but Hugh Jackman was better. Excellent performance
One of my favorite movies with many of my favorite actors. Gyllenhaal doesn't get nearly enough credit. The guy is a fucking incredible actor in anything he does. He learns as much as he can before any role and studies as much as he can. He's dedicated and that's rare these days.
There is also the obvious fact that Villeneuve never gives us that moment of catharsis in any scenes. For example he doesn't show us Loki deliver the kidnapped girl after the dramatic race to the hospital. This cutting away at the end would make no sense if it was the only time Villeneuve used it in the film. He sets it up throughout the movie. It is only good story telling because he gets us used to the idea as the story unfolds.
I mention this because to ignore it is to, in effect, misunderstand the ending.
when he kidnaps Alex to interrogate him, we dont get to see him doing it either.
Indeed. And perhaps there is no catharsis because such awful experiences of trauma don't easily get resolved or fixed. One of the great things about the ending is that, after two hours of wanting to see things resolved - to breathe a sigh of relief - we are left without a final resolution. Much like the characters in the film.
vivthefree also, the locket in the film, the final puzzle, the side character detective says he tried to solve it but it’s impossible, there’s no ending. Genius.
I randomly saw this with some friends and it honestly blew us away at how good of a movie it is.
Jake and Hugh are just fenomenal
Your video essay blew me away. I am impressed and grateful. I am literally clapping for you. Well done.
Am I the only one who thought Keller would buy a snake to make Alex talk, after the scene where the aunt says he’s afraid of snakes
Every once in a while a film appears that you can watch multiple times and it continues to be fresh, exciting and challenging. This film is one.
Hugh Jackman proves how such a great actor he is in this movie. But also Jake Gyllenhaal is amazing. Prisoners, Night Crawler, South Paw, Nocturnal Animals, Brokeback Mountain, Donnie Darko, End of Watch, Zodiac... he's brilliant in all of them.
I love when a title seemingly alludes to one thing, but by the end you realize it stands for a completely different idea or character(s).
Loki found him and save him. In his trial, the jury and the Judge will
definitely have compassion for him and will gave him something like 2-3 years in jail (he will go out after half of that time). He will not lose his family for sure (you can tell that if you remember what his wife said to Loki in the hospital). No way story can be any different than this :D
Jake Gyllenhall should collab with Nolan and Scorsese
YES YES
He work with David fincher and Ang Lee. And that’s good. He was also in a MCU movie. He need also another Oscar nomination. Because most of his movies are underrated or made by not known director. Great movies, perfomance and director, but just sooo underrated
What a movie. And this imo is Jake's best role. He killed it in this movie. To me he made the movie. Wow.
dennis villanueva does this almost in all his films which make them so intriguing and memorable. Look at blade runner 2049 ending. some similarities there. he knows how to mesh great stories with strong character development. its like he has the perfect formula for a perfect film.
His eye tics in this movie are one of my favorite subtle details an actor has done to change their character ever-so-slightly. Like yeah that’s Gyllenhaal with a neck tattoo and greasy haircut but the tic gave his character that extra bit of depth for whatever reason. Need more of those subtle mannerisms from actors.
Brilliant storytelling.. Riveted throughout - and haunted afterwards.... especially as a dad myself who would give his life to protect my child.
This movie is brilliant. Incredible acting and storytelling.
I couldn’t speak after this film, I need time to process it, I thought everyone in it was flawless, not just the two leads.
Jake was perfect in this! PERFECT!
Absolutely
I think the best part about the ending for me is the fact that the whole time, Loki has been obsessed with tying up the loose ends of the case, but the movie ending early prevents the character from doing that, which kind of shows that it’ll never be over for him.
Since dover was shot in the leg that means he found about the girls way before cops and was right from the start. Actually, he helped in finding his daughter because if he wouldnt have tortured alex the detective would have not returned to photo frame and connected the dots. Amazing movie time well spent.
....because its just *"PERFECT"*
The ending is stressful. I hope they find her dad too.
Anyway it's a good movie, i just watched it
Ylyric they did find the dad
I got chills listening to your breakdown. I already instinctually knew all of it, but the nuance 🤌🏻
This movie was great. All performances were really good especially from Jake, Hugh, and Paul.
Really good assessment of this work and the characters therein.
Thanks.
Best,
Bob
I see some people write how Alex was innocent and Dover had done horrible crime.
Alex was everything but innocent. He's the one who took the girls at the first place. He should tell the truth when police got him and set himself and the girls free (aunt had nothing to blackmail him) but no, he rather protect aunt even he knew aunt will kill them. He become sadistic prick (remember how he hang that dog). Yes he was victim in the past but that's not any excuse for his acts. Only thing I think Dover done wrong is the way he torture him since there's lot of ways to cause more pain with less scars on the body :)
Top 1 for Netflix now ! I cried watching this ! May all the children’s that have been taken for no reasons be in peace 😭😭 No child deserves this ! God we need you ❤️❤️❤️❤️
An incredibly gutsy way to end a film. Studio executives must have been having a stroke over this.
Fantastic video essay, hope you do some more of Villenueve's films
This movie was so great. Not only the storyline but every single detail played a part to the story. By far, my all time favorite movie.
Loki’s wardrobe works like a wheel. Perfect
Well said man! Just finished this masterpiece
If you guys looking for similar movies like this. With a strong character and mystery.
Try this:
Memento
Shutter Island
Prestige
Lie to me
Oldboy (korean)
Zodiac
The silence of the lamb
Good epic movies, you the mystery thriller addict should be like those list! Try me
Thanks
And let's not forget Aladdin
Mystic River, Se7en too
This movie always gets me. It’s so good across the board. I can actually imagine a future where Loki is at family cookouts. He saves him in the end. Can imagine the lifelong bond that would create?
Brilliant breakdown. This movie did an amazing job at creating believable 'red herrings' and not just one of them. The ending always struck me as such a great way to end this story and the acting throughout the film was riveting.
God the ending though. So much tension left hanging, which I guess makes it good. But after 2 hours of tension it sucked to not see Loki find him.
I absolutely agree with you. I get what the filmmakers where trying to get across, but the ending was a lot of wasted potential.
The rest of the film is astounding though.
Saying the film “explodes” in the past 30 seconds is a hilarious overstatement.
especially after watching the magnificent race to the hospital scene...that shot when the car merges with the freeway traffic, with the rain refracting and distorting the passing car head and rear lights...it is one of the most beautiful shots I have ever seen. If the film has an emotional high point, it was there during that race, for me anyway.
I thought it was last 30 minutes to which I agree.
@@davidlean1060 - thought I was the only geek that noticed that shot. Such a quick shot but beautifully done. I swear I rewinded it like 5 times to watch the damn framing. My wife was like oh no, he's going into director mode. Lol
There's a sweeping, low angle drive by shot of a chase in Long Kiss Goodnight. Forget the silly stunts, that shot sold me on the drama of the scene. I remember it from the trailer and its been in my head ever since - decades later.
I guess that depends how emotional entangled you become towards movies.
I am by no means a Villeneuve fan I should add, but that scene I just had to applaud. It is beautiful looking. I think Deakins was thinking about Van Gough paintings when he came to shoot it. It also serves the story because it represents how the barely conscious Loki is 'seeing' the world right there and then. As far as car chases go though, there can only be one and that's the chase in The French Connection. The fact Friedkin had no permission to drive around New York at 80 mph also adds to the authenticity of the scene....it looks real because they really did it!! Hackman really did plough into that car (the lady with the baby carriage was staged though). @@shill1444
These 30 seconds of unspoken words and pure storytelling is better than 2 hours of modern movies today
He’d be perfect in a season of True Detective.
Though Jake Gyllenhaal deserves immense praise for his acting abilities, I believe even Paul Dano deserves recognition for his performances over the past few years.
I've loved Paul Dano since I watched Little Miss Sunshine when I was younger. Such an underrated actor
Keller also was the one trying to help the kids and do things himself. At the end he is now relying on others to help him as he is now incapable of doing anything which is what he did to Alex. His whole theme was resilience but also stubbornness and now he is forced to not do things himself
Prisoners is one of the few perfect films in existence.
Excellent film.
When the daughter Anna first describes losing the whistle, Grace mouths something and points at Dover. I can't be 100% certain as I don't know what Grace mouths but I think it's implying Dover might have hid her whistle initially, presumably as it could have just been a general nuisance if she used it a lot as she was very fond of it.
I think this adds to his character and why he's so determined, he feels personally responsible as he's linked her disappearance to the very initial reason Anna left with Joy in the first place - to find the whistle that he knows he hid.
the whistle has been lost for 133 days now ... remember? that was the statement at the beginning of the movie. And one more thing .. it seems like the captain friend (also a cop) killed himself 13 years ago in the same building that the Dovers were initially living ... seen in the newspaper when Loki reads.
This is possibly the most underrated film ever.
One of my favourite films of the last decade
I feel that there is a major theme of being “saved” through the film. Who is the saviour, and who needs to be saved. Gyllenhaal saving his career/reputation as well as the girls. Jackman obviously saving his daughter but also saving his sanity and needing to be saved from himself. I feel the whistle placed Jackman back into the needing saving category, and the ending leaving us with the question of just whether or not Jackman was too far gone to be saved or not. Excellent film.
Wow, Fantastic video Perry. I have to admit, this is without a doubt, my all time favorite movie! :) I think part of it does have to do with the ending:) what happens? Does he go to jail? I would have loved to see him hug his little daughter at the end. He was her true hero. I can't watch other movies anymore because they are just not up to par with this amazing story telling and suspense driven passion behind the film. Keep it up. Thank you so much for explaining how amazing the last 30 seconds are.
oh you know he went to jail..no matter the circumstances or what ever the other people did to deserve it he still kidnapped someone and tortured him. In the eyes of the law they don't care what your reasons were even if everyone else in that room would do the same thing as a father. The law is the law and he broke it.
Lee McMullan have you watched Nerdwriter’s videos?
guitarman0365 Jail...yes....prison...doubtful. As it's a crime of passion, and the DA would have to decide to prosecute since the Paul Dano character is not mentally capable. That's if he even survived.
CorbCorbin He did survive. He was returned to his real parent/parents.
Javier Cruz Kell No, I meant Hugh Jackman's character. I should've started the comment with that sentence.