20 Psychological Thrillers You Must See Before You Die
8. Prisoners
Another morally dubious film, and one in which a number of characters suffer altered states of mental well being, Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners is one of the best psychological thrillers of recent years, full of great performances (including a career best from Hugh Jackman) and, like many of the films on this list, complete with a finale that heaves one final level of psychological strife upon its protagonist. (It's also one of the best looking films of late, but with Roger Deakins in charge of the cinematography that really shouldn't come as a surprise). Jackman stars as Keller Dover, whose young daughter, along with a friend, go missing on Thanksgiving. Frustrated by the police's supposed incompetence, Dover takes matters into his own hands, granting the film its title. Keller, a 'good man', descends into increasingly violent, desperate behaviour, and Prisoners begins to pose questions of how far is it acceptable to go for your family? and, at what point to you stop being good, despite the goodness of your intentions? There's no easy answer, and the film, despite its visual splendour, is a tough watch which pangs with moral ambiguity.