History YMMV / Prisoners

* HarsherInHindsight: The main suspect in the mass child murder case is named Alex Jones. The parents of victims torture him. Almost at the same time the film came out, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Jones Alex Jones]] became infamous for his baseless assertions that an actual mass child murder case was fictional. The parents of the victims successfully sued him.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: This movie is ''overwhelmingly'' depressing. Our [[DesignatedHero supposed hero]] is a brutal {{Deconstruction}} of [[PapaWolf vigilante fathers]] who spends the entire movie torturing [[spoiler: a man who's eventually revealed to be innocent and plagued by immense psychological damage undoubtedly ''worsened'' by the things Keller puts him through]]. And even though the movie ends on a surprisingly [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet note]], there's still [[EsotericHappyEnding so much that's keeping it from being a truly happy ending]], such as the trauma plaguing Keller's family as well as [[spoiler: the inevitable jail time he will face if he ever makes it out of that hole]]. However, this is slightly downplayed by the realism behind Keller's motivations, Loki's genuine dedication to helping the Dover family, and [[spoiler: Alex being reunited with his family in the end]].

* TheWoobie: [[spoiler:Alex, especially when it's revealed that he was actually innocent (or at least not fully aware) of the kidnapping, and yet gets brutally tortured for it. Then at the end it's revealed that he was actually kidnapped when he was really young.]]

* SpiritualLicensee:

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: This movie is ''overwhelmingly'' depressing. Our [[DesignatedHero supposed hero]] is a brutal {{Deconstruction}} of [[PapaWolf vigilante fathers]] who spends the entire movie torturing [[spoiler: a man who's eventually revealed to be innocent and plagued by immense psychological damage undoubtedly ''worsened'' by the things Keller puts him through]]. And even though the movie ends on a surprisingly [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet note]], there's still [[EsotericHappyEnding so much that's keeping it from being a truly happy ending]], such as the trauma plaguing Keller's family as well as [[spoiler: the inevitable jail time he will face if he ever makes it out of that hole]]. However, this is slightly downplayed by the [[AdultFear realism behind Keller's motivations]], Loki's genuine dedication to helping the Dover family, and [[spoiler: Alex being reunited with his family in the end]].

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: This movie is ''overwhelmingly'' depressing. Our [[DesignatedHero supposed hero]] is a brutal {{Deconstruction}} of [[PapaWolf vigilante fathers]] who spends the entire movie torturing [[spoiler: a man who's eventually revealed to be innocent and plagued by immense psychological damage undoubtedly ''worsened'' by the things Keller puts him through]]. And even though the movie ends on a surprisingly [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet note]], there's still [[EsotericHappyEnding so much that's keeping it from being a truly happy ending]], such as the trauma plaguing Keller's family as well as [[spoiler: the inevitable jail time he will face if he ever makes it out of that hole]]. However, this is slightly downplayed by the [[AdultFear realism behind Keller's motivations]], Loki's genuine dedication to helping the Dover family, and [[spoiler: Alex being reunited with his family in the end]].

* HilariousInHindsight: At one point, Alex sings the "Batman smells" rendition of "Jingle Bells". Fast forward [[Film/TheBatman2022 eight years later]], and [[Creator/PaulDano Alex]] is now the BigBad of a Batman film. In fact, said-BigBad is comparable to Alex, [[spoiler:except being a killer in the latter's case]].

* HilariousInHindsight: At one point, Alex sings the "Batman smells" rendition of "Jingle Bells". Fast forward [[Film/TheBatman2022 eight years later]], and Alex is now the BigBad of a Batman film. In fact, said-BigBad is comparable to Alex, [[spoiler:except being a killer in the latter's case]].

* HilariousInHindsight: At one point, Alex sings the "Batman smells" rendition of "Jingle Bells". Fast forward [[Film/TheBatman2022 eight years later, and...]]

** One could argue that what Keller does to [[spoiler:Alex]] qualifies, even if [[WellIntentionedExtremist he did it to find he girls]]. Franklin certainly seems to think so in-universe.

** Due to the movie centering on a protagonist's obsession with the disappearance of a loved one[[spoiler: and having him confront the BigBad, drink a drugged beverage and end up buried underground with little to no hope of survival by the movie's end]], this movie can be considered a much better remake of ''Film/TheVanishing'' than the ''actual'' American remake of ''The Vanishing''.

* SugarWiki/CrowningMusicOfAwesome: The film's minimalist score by Music/JohannJohannsson quite haunting, especially [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uEuT9Jx7OI The Candlelight Vigil]].

* RewatchBonus:
** "They didn't cry until I left them". [[spoiler: On a second watch it becomes clear that Alex was ''trying'' to tell Keller where the girls were, he just couldn't put it into words because of his disability.]]
** Also, [[spoiler: the maze pendent]] pretty much tells you who the culprit is but you won't realize it on a first time viewing. Unless you pay absolute attention.

* {{Narm}}: Some people find [[spoiler: Holly Jones']] motivation for kidnapping and killing children: [[spoiler: "RageAgainstTheHeavens]] to be too melodramatic.

* HarsherInHindsight: The main suspect in the mass child murder case is named Alex Jones. Almost at the same time the film came out, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Jones Alex Jones]] became infamous for his baseless assertions that an actual mass child murder case was fictional.

* {{Narm}}: Some people find [[spoiler: Holly Jones' motivation for kidnapping and killing children]] to be kind of...lame. Granted, [[spoiler: losing a child]] can definitely [[SanitySlippage make someone go insane]]—for crying out loud, ''that’s literally what’s happening to Keller''—but [[spoiler: her]] calling it a [[spoiler: “[[RageAgainstTheHeavens war on God]]”]] sounds a little melodramatic for such a dark movie.

** Due to the movie centering on a protagonist's obsession with the disappearance of a loved one[[spoiler: and having said protagonist confront the BigBad, drink a drugged beverage and end up buried underground with little to no hope of survival by the movie's end]], this movie can be considered a much better remake of ''Film/TheVanishing'' than the ''actual'' American remake of ''The Vanishing''.

* MoralEventHorizon: [[spoiler:Holly]] crossed it a ''long'' time ago when it is revealed that [[spoiler:she and her husband were behind the kidnappings and murders of the kids]].

* RewatchBonus: "They didn't cry until I left them". [[spoiler: On a second watch it becomes clear that Alex was ''trying'' to tell Keller where the girls were, he just couldn't put it into words because of his disability.]]

* {{Tearjerker}}: Keller is brought to the police station to help Detective Loki identify articles of clothing that were found at Bob Taylor's house. He can barely bring himself to look at the pictures of the clothes, afraid that he might find something that belongs to Anna... and then he sees a picture of Anna's bloodied sock. Keller breaks down into BrokenTears as he confirms to Loki that the sock belongs to his daughter, then he [[TranquilFury calmly but coldly]] [[WhatTheHellHero accuses Loki of letting Anna die by wasting time following Keller around]].
** Loki doesn't have a good time of it either. While he doesn't see eye-to-eye with Keller most of the time, he takes no pleasure in having to show him the pictures and offers no reply to Keller's accusations at the end of the scene, clearly thinking that Keller is right about his failure. Part of the reason why he starts beating Bob Taylor in the interrogation room later on might be driven by his frustration over having failed the Dovers and the Birches.
** Before Keller is brought into the office, Franklin and Nancy are seen leaving the same office in a state of despair and sorrow, not even acknowledging Keller's presence. Loki confirms that they identified two articles of clothing that belonged to Joy.
* TheWoobie: [[spoiler:Alex, especially when it's revealed that he was actually innocent (or at least not fully aware) of the kidnapping, and yet gets brutally tortured for it. Then at the end it's revealed that he was actually kidnapped when he was really young.]]

* {{Tearjerker}} : Keller is brought to the police station to identify articles of clothing that were found at Bob Taylor's house. He can barely bring himself to look at the pictures of the clothes, afraid that he might find something that belongs to Anna... and then he sees a picture of Anna's bloodied sock. Keller breaks down into BrokenTears as he confirms to Loki that the sock belongs to his daughter, then he [[TranquilFury calmly but coldly]] [[WhatTheHellHero accuses Loki of letting Anna die by wasting time following Keller around]].

* {{Tearjerker}} : Keller is brought to the police station to identify articles of clothing that were found at Bob Taylor's house. He can barely bring himself to look at the pictures of the clothes, afraid that he might find something that belongs to Anna... and then he sees a picture of Anna's bloodied sock. Keller breaks down into BrokenTears as he confirms to Loki that the sock belongs to his daughter, then he [[TranquilFury calmly but coldly]][[WhatTheHellHero accuses Loki of letting Anna die by wasting time following Keller around]].

* Tearjerker: Keller is brought to the police station to identify articles of clothing that were found at Bob Taylor's house. He can barely bring himself to look at the pictures of the clothes, afraid that he might find something that belongs to Anna... and then he sees a picture of Anna's bloodied sock. Keller breaks down into BrokenTears as he confirms to Loki that the sock belongs to his daughter, then he [[TranquilFury calmly but coldly]][[WhatTheHellHero accuses Loki of letting Anna die by wasting time following Keller around]].