Now that I have been able to actually collect my thoughts on this film, I shall now give my thoughts on Prisoners. Overall I thought this was a very powerful film and impacted me greatly, going into this film I was expecting it be like Heavy Rain, and now thinking about, I really shouldn't have been comparing it to that, if anything I would say it was a combination of The Last of Us AND Heavy Rain and then got turned into a movie. I thought the directing and cinematography was phenomenal, I was really drawn in by the opening shot and the way it was directed, I was in for the ride and during some of the more brutal scenes this element really excelled.

​

The acting, where do I start... how about with Jake Gyllenhaal, I thought his performance as Detective Loki was fantastic and it was incredibly similar to (I promise, last mention of Heavy Rain) Norman Jayden, I truly believed he was dedicated to the case given to him and I was rooting for his character in the toughest of situations, Paul Dano, wow, I did not expect this calibre of acting from him, he was a completely different person and I truly think this performance deserves an Oscar nod, now speaking of Oscar nods, let's talk about Hugh Jackman, oh my goodness, in an early review on this page, I said that Jackman's performance in The Prestige was his best role, I think it's safe to say that's been topped, this was a career defining role for Jackman, I have never felt such a roller coaster of emotions for just one character in anything ever, between him and Mads Mikkelson (The Hunt) I'm torn between which I truly think deserves the Oscar for best actor this year. But there are also great performances by Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, I can keep going, this film was just filled with award worthy performances.

​

The writing was fantastic, just like The Place Beyond the Pines, I could not predict what was going to happen next, and the ending, wow, just wow, no spoilers, but I can say after time thinking about it, I've grown to really like the ending.

​

So final thoughts, this was a phenomenal film and is easily my number 1 this year, and I did not think that any film would be beating The Place Beyond the Pines this year, and I really do hope that the Academy gives this film the recognition it deserves.