By George & Josh Bate
Prison break movies have a timeless quality about them. Whether it be Clint Eastwood’s Escape from Alcatraz to the popular Prison Break series, there seems to be something enduringly fascinating about watching a character involuntarily trapped in a location who attempts to escape. But what if the prison wasn’t some massive facility with blocks, cells, guards, and wardens? What if the prison was something much smaller and confined? Suddenly, the lead character and, in parallel, the filmmakers have a different challenge on their hands. Forging the longstanding and rather tired prison break genre into something physically smaller, yet similarly intense is the aim of Locked, a new thriller produced by Sam Raimi filled to the brim with suspense, thoughtful social commentary, and strong performances.
Directed by David Yarovesky (Brightburn), Locked is a remake of the Argentinian thriller 4X4. The film follows Eddie (played by Bill Skarsgård), a down-on-his-luck father struggling for money with a fractured relationship with his daughter and ex-spouse. To alleviate his problems, Eddie turns to thievery and sets his sights on a luxury vehicle to steal. But when Eddie enters the car to steal it, he becomes locked in and falls into a trap laid by a twisted millionaire (played by Anthony Hopkins).
Locked sells itself and immediately grabs one’s attention based on its premise alone, a clever twist on the prison break genre. After some initial exposition, the entirety of the film takes place within the confines of a single vehicle, a filmmaking challenge director David Yarovesky and colleagues admirably take on and excel in executing. Rarely, if ever, does the film lapse into boredom nor lose its razor-sharp intensity, which is quite the testament given the physical limitations posed by taking place entirely in such a small location. Drawing upon the Argentinian film of which it is a remake, screenwriter Michael Arlen Ross maximizes the potential of this premise, taking full advantage of every way in which being locked in a car and tormented by a maniac can unfold. Some may draw comparisons to Buried, the 2010 survival thriller starring Ryan Reynolds about a man who is buried alive and tries to escape. But Locked is a decidedly different feature as it doesn’t rely on claustrophobia for tension and isn’t best characterized as a survival film. Instead, Yarovesky’s film is more of a psychological thriller that, while involving all sorts of survival movie elements, primarily centers on the cat-and-mouse exchange between a thief and the man who kidnapped him.
During this cat-and-mouse exchange, Skarsgård’s Eddie character is pushed to his physical limits. Deprived of food and water for unimaginable stretches, exposed to debilitating temperatures, and forced to listen to excessively loud music, Eddie endures quite a lot in Locked. Thankfully though, the film is far more than just torture porn.
The palpable discomfort that comes from watching Eddie withstand all sorts of horrible conditions inside this locked car is accompanied by a continuously gripping and thought-provoking exchange between Eddie and William, the man played by Anthony Hopkins who set up this trap. In keeping with the film’s commitment to taking place entirely within the car, Hopkins is not seen for almost the entire film, his performance instead restricted to a voice role as William calls into the car to speak to and torment Eddie. While Hopkins has delivered brilliant performances in more wholesome and warm roles, we find the prolific actor to be most compelling when he portrays more twisted characters. And that is exactly what he does in Locked. Hopkins’ William character has a delightfully, almost comically, evil quality about him. Hopkins has his finger on the pulse of the film’s tone though as he never becomes too comical or heightened as to dampen upon the film’s intense and suspenseful tone.
The twisted William engages in conversation with Skarsgård’s Eddie throughout the entirety of the film. William’s motivations aren’t initially clear and, admittedly, they never become entirely clear, although elements of his background are gradually revealed that add surprising depth to both his villain and the film more broadly. While struggling to survive, Eddie engages in a fascinating back-and-forth with Eddie that proves to be one of the film’s more surprisingly effective elements. Eddie is a character who has made bad decision after bad decision in his life. The introduction to his character sees him leave his daughter waiting outside her school to be picked up while he desperately tries to repair his van. Rather than approaching Eddie from an empathic stance that considers the systemic factors that led to him turning to criminal behavior, Hopkins’ William represents the cold, unfeeling, law-and-order type that has become all too familiar in the real world. No one, including Eddie, excuses their actions nor agrees that thievery is a moral act. However, there is a more accurate and encompassing perspective on thieves like Eddie that suggest that institutional and governmental failures over decades have led people like him to live in poverty and resort to crime. It’s due to this fundamental philosophical difference that Eddie and William clash in a series of captivating conversations throughout the film. These conversations are excellently portrayed by Skarsgård and Hopkins and hold unexpected and poignant relevance to the real world.
Speaking of Skarsgård, the Swedish actor deserves plaudits for his performance here, which demonstrates his seemingly endless range. After just starring as the ominous Count Orlok in Nosferatu, Skarsgård delivers a completely different performance in Locked, one that is more gritty and grounded than anything in his filmography to date. One can hardly believe that this is the same actor who played the extremely polished and well-dressed Marquis in John Wick: Chapter 4, such is the kind of seedy and understated nature of his character in Locked.
Unlike many other films set in a single, confined location, Locked concludes with an ending that doesn’t go off the rails (at least not figuratively). Just when you think things can’t get more intense, they do in a finale that will have your heart racing, blood pumping, and anxiety spiking.
If there’s a fault to pinpoint of Locked, it is that the film never quite astounds. The movie certainly captures one’s attention and admirably maintains a palpable intensity throughout. And the conversations between Skarsgård and Hopkins have unexpected depth and relevance for this type of movie. But there isn’t enough novelty, filmmaking craft, or emotional weight to elevate Locked beyond being much more than an entertaining psychological thriller. Admittedly, the ending of the film taps into some touching emotions, but never enough to make it leave a lasting emotional impact.
VERDICT: 7.5/10
Locked puts a refreshing spin on the prison break genre by following a man locked inside a car desperate to escape. Palpably intense and enduringly suspenseful, the film from Brightburn director David Yarovesky grips from the very beginning and never lets go, a particularly admirable feat given the entirety of the film takes place within the confines of a car. A sharp script from Michael Arlen Ross not only takes full advantage of this brilliant premise but also taps into unexpectedly poignant social commentary through conversations about class and systemic injustice between the lead characters. Anthony Hopkins triumphs as a delightfully twisted kidnapper, while Bill Skarsgård affirms why he has some of the best acting range in the industry currently. Although there isn’t enough novelty, filmmaking craft, or emotional weight to elevate the film beyond being much more than an entertaining psychological thriller, Locked captivates from beginning-to-end and serves as the perfect kind of light entertainment with a surprising touch of substance.