Prisoners
A desperate father takes the law into his own hands after police fail to find two kidnapped girls.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 153 min · 2013
Trailer
Director
Denis Villeneuve
Writer
Aaron Guzikowski
Studio
Alcon Entertainment / 8:38 Productions / Madhouse Entertainment
Release
20 Sep 2013
Runtime
153 min
Genres
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Full Plot
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?
Cast & Characters
Keller Dover
Hugh Jackman
Nancy Birch
Viola Davis
Grace Dover
Maria Bello
Franklin Birch
Terrence Howard
Holly Jones
Melissa Leo
Ralph Dover
Dylan Minnette
Eliza Birch
Zoë Soul
Anna Dover
Erin Gerasimovich
Joy Birch
Kyla-Drew Simmons
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $46.0M, Prisoners has grossed $122.1M worldwide — about 2.7x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Denis Villeneuve has directed 5 films in our catalog, including Dune: Part Three, Dune: Part Two.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Hugh Jackman appears in 5 films in our catalog, including The Prestige, The Death of Robin Hood.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Did You Know that a father's desperation inspired a short story about a man putting a suspect in a well?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that the film was initially planned for Connecticut but was moved to Georgia due to budgetary reasons.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that the movie was originally rated NC-17 by the MPAA before being edited and re-rated R.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Prisoners grossed over $122 million worldwide, earning more than its production budget of $46 million.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Prisoners holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (922,474 votes), 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (922,474 votes), 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Prisoners's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Prisoners holds a 81% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Prisoners's IMDb rating?+
Prisoners has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 922,474 votes.
What is Prisoners's Metacritic score?+
Prisoners has a Metascore of 70/100 on Metacritic.
Is Prisoners good? What are critics saying?+
Prisoners holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (922,474 votes), 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Prisoners?+
Prisoners has a runtime of 153 min.
Who directed Prisoners?+
Prisoners was directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Where can I watch Prisoners?+
Prisoners is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Netflix, BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, FilmBox+, Netflix Standard with Ads, BFI Player Apple TV Channel, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "Prisoners" is one of intense acclaim and praise for its suspenseful crime thriller. Many reviewers have noted the film's well-crafted plot, strong performances from its cast, and effective use of tension and suspense. Some have also praised Villeneuve's direction and Guzikowski's screenplay.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Really intense and well done thriller. One of the few in the last years with great performances by Jackman, Gyllenhaal and Dano. It also has some content to chew. I really enjoyed watching it.
Andres Gomez · 8/10Certainly Villenueve's most accessible film, but still a very good one. Final rating:★★★½ - I strongly recommend you make the time.
Gimly · 7/10What a powerful film and what a great acting. I just couldn't help rewinding various scenes throughout, especially when Jackman's character showed anger and frustration for either his child being abducted or having what he thought was the culprit being tortured, although getting…
StbMDB · 8/10MUST SEE MOVIES BEFORE YOU DIE, another masterpiece by Hugh Jackman, surprising plot-twist!!
premierexxi · 10/10Be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best. Pray for the best, but prepare for the worst. Prisoners is directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski. It stars Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Terence Howard, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano.…
John Chard · 9/10**This heavy film is not for everyone but for those that enjoy suspenseful crime cinema, this is one of the absolute best.** A crime thriller that brilliantly manages its slow pace to create the same dread the characters feel in the hearts of the audience. Every passing second st…
The Movie Mob · 8/10Prisoners is a carefully constructed labyrinth, deceptively simple and very clever. The material was nothing new even when the film was released, but director Denis Villeneuve (pre-Dune) and screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski work a few unexpected twists and turns into their maze to k…
tmdb28039023 · 6/10Prisoners is a largely generic revenge / suspense / mystery "they have my kid" tale with a predictable plot that gives itself away too early. No attempt at realism, this is Scooby-Doo style investigation - lie detectors are treated seriously, "bad guys" are largely 1-dimensional…
kisaligol · 4/10If proof were needed of the versatility of both Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal then this film has to be it. Jackman delivers what can only be described as a visceral performance here as “Keller” (HJ) and his family prepare to celebrate Christmas. Right from the start, we sense…
CinemaSerf · 7/10Wow.I mean acting and a story is 10/10.Jake did such a good performance.You can feel the story and its like movie ends in a moment.From the start to the end you enjoy.All the actors did such a work specialy the 2 leeding actors.Its like in real life not something imaginary.enjoy
Absolutely great movie. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal's acting is at TOP level. I would give this movie 8/10. These type of masterpieces are very rare in Cinema these days.
MrKidoshi · 9/10
From the trailer's comments
Everyone's talking about Hugh Jackman, but I take my hat off to Jake Gyllenhaal's performance. This movie is a master piece.
@dyzvervS · 9450 likesThis movie is criminally underrated. 10/10
@Kobeee24BRyant · 9601 likesReally one of those movies you wish you could see for the first time again.
@DJPeeweePrimero · 7679 likesThis movie is 7 years old and i just heard about it, and watched it. turned out to be one of the best movies ive seen.
@OhhFreshyy · 4135 likesI really love the title because it REALLY fits. Everyone in the movie was a prisoner. The girls were prisoners to their captors, Jake Gyllenhaal was a prisoner to the case, Paul Dano was a prisoner to Hugh Jackman, Hugh Jackman's wife was a prisoner to her emotions, and Hugh Jack…
@DanS1 · 6554 likesI just like the way Jake Gyllenhaal blinking his eyes.
@justrandom3101 · 2811 likesWhy Hugh Jackman didn't get nominated for an oscar for this is beyond me.
@HouseOfHoops1 · 7808 likesOne of my all time favorites. The scene where Gyllenhaal is driving Anna to the hospital is one of the best scenes I’ve ever seen in the history of cinema. A magical movie.
@logankoeppe1683 · 882 likes
