Title: Prisoner
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Drama
Director: Denis Villeneuve (reuniting with Jake Gyllenhaal after Prisoners and Enemy)
Cast:
- Jake Gyllenhaal as Daniel Mercer, a former investigative journalist imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.
- Hugh Jackman as Marcus Ryland, a ruthless corporate tycoon with a dark secret.
- Viola Davis as Warden Evelyn Cole, a no-nonsense prison official with her own agenda.
- Lakeith Stanfield as Eli, a fellow inmate who may hold the key to Daniel’s freedom.
- Florence Pugh as Sarah Mercer, Daniel’s wife fighting to prove his innocence.
Plot Summary:
Act 1 – The Setup
Daniel Mercer (Gyllenhaal), a once-respected investigative journalist, is wrongfully convicted of murder after exposing corruption tied to Marcus Ryland (Jackman), a powerful CEO with political ambitions. With no evidence to prove his innocence, Daniel is sentenced to 15 years in Blackstone Penitentiary, a high-security prison known for its brutal conditions.
Act 2 – The Game Begins
Inside, Daniel realizes the prison operates under Ryland’s influence. Inmates who cross him end up dead or disappear. The warden (Davis) seems complicit, turning a blind eye to the violence. Daniel befriends Eli (Stanfield), a hacker imprisoned for exposing Ryland’s illegal dealings. Eli reveals that Ryland has orchestrated Daniel’s imprisonment to silence him permanently.
Meanwhile, Sarah (Pugh) discovers a hidden file in Daniel’s notes—proof of Ryland’s involvement in a high-profile assassination. But before she can act, Ryland’s men close in on her.
Act 3 – The Escape & Showdown
Daniel and Eli stage a daring escape, using a riot as cover. With the police and Ryland’s mercenaries hunting them, they must evade capture long enough to expose the truth. In a final confrontation at Ryland’s estate, Daniel faces off against the CEO, who smugly admits to framing him.
A brutal fight ensues, ending with Ryland’s arrest after Sarah leaks the evidence to the press. Daniel is exonerated, but the psychological scars remain. The film closes with him staring at the prison gates—now a free man, but forever changed.
Themes & Style:
- A tense, cerebral thriller in the vein of Prisoners (2013) and Shutter Island.
- Explores corruption, institutional power, and the cost of truth.
- Gyllenhaal delivers a gripping performance as a man pushed to his limits, while Jackman oozes menace as the villain.
Tagline: “The walls aren’t the only thing keeping him trapped.”
Would you watch this movie? 🎬🔥