Last month saw the 10-year anniversary of the film “Prisoners” theatrical release. With an initial film festival premiere in Aug. the film officially debuted in theaters Sep. 20, 2013.

The film has a very straightforward and simple plot about rescuing two little girls, and how far one is willing to push themselves. Starting off, the audience follows two families, the Dover’s and Birch’s, enjoying a small Thanksgiving meal, until one simple mistake results in both families having their youngest daughters, Anna Dover (Erin Gerasimovich) and Joy Birch (Kyla-Drew) kidnapped. We are then introduced to Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), who quickly apprehends the suspected kidnapper and relays the situation to the respective families, namely the fathers Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) and Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard). As the film goes on, we see how far everyone is willing to go to save the girls, and the desperate methods taken, both legal and illegal. With many twists, turns, and cleverly placed clues, the film is not only captivating, but leaves much to enjoy on subsequent rewatches.

The legacy left behind by “Prisoners” is that of success, not just financially, but for many of the cast and crew involved. With a mid-budget of around $46 million, the film not only broke even, but was a success grossing $122 million worldwide. The film and many of its crew were nominated for a variety of awards, including both Best Cast and Top Ten Films (of 2013), Gyllenhaal winning best supporting actor, and director of cinematography, Roger Deakins winning Best Cinematography.

While it takes a village to make a movie, it can’t be ignored how spectacular the movie is because of its cast. Every actor gives arguably their best performance, or within their top 5. As previously mentioned, Gyllenhaal won best supporting actor for a reason. Jackman especially gives a stunning performance that embodies a father’s tenderness and wisdom, with the rage and determination of “Wolverine” the character of Keller needed. Further highlights need to be placed on Viola Davis, Maria Bello, and Paul Dano for their roles of Nancy Birch, Grace Dover, and Alex Jones respectively. Davis and Bello perfectly encapsulate the desperation, grief, and willpower mothers would face in this situation, each in their own unique way. Dano, plays an incredibly nuanced and complex antagonist as the suspected kidnapper which in retrospect acts as a preview of his role in The Batman (2022) as The Riddler.

For final acknowledgements, composer Jóhann Jóhannsson gives the film a unique identity from any other thriller, and director Denis Villeneuve wrapped the entire film in a perfect bow, giving him the opportunity to shine with future films like Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Dune.