Rating: 3.5/5
Synopsis:
Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins team up in this small setting thriller. Eddie, a deadbeat dad who is struggling to make ends meet, sees an opportunity when he finds an unlocked car. Once he breaks in, he finds that he cannot get out. The car has been manufactured to lock in robbers and torment them for their criminal behavior. Owning this car is William, an ailing doctor who has an axe to pick with criminals like Eddie. What transpires is a test of wills between the two men, hoping to both enlighten the other with a new perspective.
Positives:
I love the premise of the story here. The close quarter, claustrophobic atmosphere of a film taking place inside of a car is a great idea. But how does the film do at sustaining a good story within such confines? Pretty well actually! Director David Yarovesky gives us just enough development of each character to help us understand their situation in life. While Eddie and William come from very different backgrounds, they both share destructive tendencies. Hopkins and Skarsgård give good performances here. Skarsgård has to display both physical and emotional discomfort while he’s locked inside of a car with few resources. The torment he’s forced to go through would drive most people crazy. Credit to him for leaning into another intense role.
Hopkins on the other hand is largely absent from the film, conveying his philosophies and instructions for Eddie via the car telephone. While he only appears physically towards the end of the film, his menacing voice and witty persona carry over nicely. The film gets surprisingly heavy with its themes too, as Eddie is a poor struggling man who is paying for his decisions. Meanwhile William belongs to the wealthy elite, believing people like Eddie put themselves in these situations. The contrasting ideologies raise the stakes, especially towards the end of the film.
Negatives:
“Locked” makes the most of its close quarter premise. Due to its restraints, it never fully achieves greatness. I’d say the main issues are with the script and the pacing. After a while the dynamic between the two men starts to feel derivative, so their conversation and test of wills can only go so far. While the film isn’t very long, it started to feel like it was running out of gas towards the end. Luckily it ended when it did. The two discuss their varying perspectives on the world throughout the film too. I would have enjoyed seeing them pick each other’s brains a bit further. This would have escalated their conflict and made the finale feel more intense.
Conclusion:
I enjoyed my time with “Locked”. The strengths lie in the performances and the ability to convey intensity in the limited setting. This is a good example of doing a lot with limited resources. The script and premise starts to wear thin by the film’s conclusion but it wraps up in time to keep the impression fresh. This is a good matinee movie that will keep audiences on their toes.
