Prisoners

Name: Prisoners
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: September 20, 2013
Duration: 153 min
Rating: 70
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Leo, Viola Davis

2013

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 53 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 1249 Ratings

See All

8.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.5	Your Score
8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 1249 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Prisoners

Now Playing: Prisoners

Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: September 20, 2013 | R

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Leo, Viola Davis

Summary: How far would you go to protect your family? Keller Dover is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation,How far would you go to protect your family? Keller Dover is facing every parent's worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver, Alex Jones, but a lack of evidence forces his release. As the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts, knowing his child's life is at stake the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?… Expand

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 153 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Betsy Sharkey

Sep 19, 2013

Exciting, terrifying, worrisome stuff saturates every second of Prisoners, holding you captive, keeping you guessing until the bitter end. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Sep 19, 2013

Prisoners is the kind of movie that can quiet a room full of casual thrill-seekers. It absorbs and controls your attention with such assurance that you hold your breath for fear of distracting the people on screen, exhaling in relief or amazement at each new revelation Read full review

Claudia Puig

Sep 19, 2013

Prisoners is infused with a poetic intensity that's rare in American thrillers. The closest cinematic comparisons would be "Zodiac," "In the Bedroom" and "Mystic River." Read full review

Ty Burr

Sep 19, 2013

As gripping as it is grueling, with performances that swing for the fences and a central mystery that seems an unresolvable tangle of knots until those knots come undone in a somewhat forced final act. Read full review

Matt Singer

Nov 9, 2016

Prisoners is too nuanced to dismiss, but too silly to take seriously. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Sep 20, 2013

Aspects of Prisoners are effective, but for the most part it's rather ridiculous (despite the fact that it clearly wants to be taken super-seriously), and there's an overwrought quality to much of the acting. Read full review

David Edelstein

Sep 16, 2013

Villeneuve is trying like hell to elevate what turns out to be a dumb genre picture. Read full review

SEE ALL 53 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

CitanZero

Dec 21, 2013

My eyes were literally GLUED to the screen for 2.5 hours. I thought it would let up after 45 minutes. Nope. Acting is perfect. Shots are gorgeous. The plot suspends your sense of time. Every scene is captivating. And great ending. Best movie in a long time. How is this misunderstood by some?My eyes were literally GLUED to the screen for 2.5 hours. I thought it would let up after 45 minutes. Nope. Acting is perfect. Shots are gorgeous. The plot suspends your sense of time. Every scene is captivating. And great ending. Best movie in a long time. How is this misunderstood by some? Don't get it. But hey, that's why art is subjective I guess.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

MovieGoer14

Sep 20, 2013

Prisoners is a deep dark film, with a first rate cinematography, breathtaking performances, riveting editing, incredible dialog, and pretty much one of the best movies of all year. What makes this movie distinctive, is the opening silent sequence, the atmosphere its self, it is chilling andPrisoners is a deep dark film, with a first rate cinematography, breathtaking performances, riveting editing, incredible dialog, and pretty much one of the best movies of all year. What makes this movie distinctive, is the opening silent sequence, the atmosphere its self, it is chilling and a gripping thriller, it is a tense talk film that kept me at the edge of my seat. It is maybe the best performance ever coming from Hugh Jackman, he is magnificent in this movie, the villains and the good ones, everyone in this movie has something wrong with them, and this is one of the things that I loved in this film. Prisoners is one of the best movies all year and highly recommended, I loved Prisoners.… Expand

28 of 34 users found this helpful286

JLuis_001

Sep 6, 2017

Personally I love police thrillers and Prisoners is an excellent one.
It has drama, suspense, violence, doubts and great excitement that keeps you glued to your seat.
Prisoners is a very good movie and its greatest strengths are its script and cast, a strong and well used cast. Well run,Personally I love police thrillers and Prisoners is an excellent one.
It has drama, suspense, violence, doubts and great excitement that keeps you glued to your seat.
Prisoners is a very good movie and its greatest strengths are its script and cast, a strong and well used cast.

Well run, well done, and with a plot that despite his two and a half hours long it never wanes.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

csw12

Nov 19, 2013

From the moment the movie starts to the very last scene, Prisoner's is a gripping, involving, dark film that gives you strong performances to make it feel very scary. Your eyes will be glued to the screen in this mesmerizing thriller.

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

AlfatriMuh

Oct 14, 2018

The Good:
1. Acting, i should say that this is one of the best performances for both leading actors. Hugh Jackman was incredible.
2. Plot and characterization, well i can expected that by seeing the director's name. One of the best crime-thriller ever made, keep you sucked into the plot. 3.The Good:
1. Acting, i should say that this is one of the best performances for both leading actors. Hugh Jackman was incredible.
2. Plot and characterization, well i can expected that by seeing the director's name. One of the best crime-thriller ever made, keep you sucked into the plot.
3. Cinematography, genius Deakins success to build the tense of the film only by his work. Film atmosphere was really good.

The Bad: Overlong and the original score not pretty good to lived up the film. I mean, Johann was a really good composer, especially his work in Sicario and Arrival, but it's not work here.

Conclusion: Many good aspects of the film, but its just good, not amazing. 81/100… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NBAluke579

Jan 2, 2014

Prisoners is one of the most thrilling films of 2013. A thrilling,dark film that deals with the subject of child kidnapping. The movie has an incredible atmosphere, and Roger Deakin's gorgeous cinematography helps set a haunting,bleak mood that permeates throughout the entire film. Rain isPrisoners is one of the most thrilling films of 2013. A thrilling,dark film that deals with the subject of child kidnapping. The movie has an incredible atmosphere, and Roger Deakin's gorgeous cinematography helps set a haunting,bleak mood that permeates throughout the entire film. Rain is always falling, snow covers the ground, and darkness covers everything. The characters involved go through hell, and you as the viewer are engaged every step of the way. This is the best performance I've seen from Hugh Jackman,no doubt about that. I haven't seen him give a performance like this since Darren Aronofsky's 2006 film "The Fountain". Jackman immerses himself into the role of the father who will do whatever it takes to find his missing daughter. The other performances are great as well, but it's Jackman's that really stands out. Prisoners is one of the best movies of 2013, but it does have a few problems. The biggest one is that the script leaves a lot of plot-holes and the final act is rather unsatisfying.It's not a big gripe of mine, but the movie does fall apart a bit in it's final minutes. Nonetheless Prisoners is still a great film,especially for those who are fans of dark,mystery thrillers like Zodiac and Se7en.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

new_moon

Mar 31, 2014

this movie is Absolute waste of time .. i am so sorry for mark Wahlberg ..this movie is so much worse than movie 43. i am glad that i did not waste my money and downloaded it for free

0 of 28 users found this helpful028

SEE ALL 190 REVIEWS

23	#23 Most Discussed Movie of 2013
35	#35 Most Shared Movie of 2013