Locked is an interesting movie is a few ways. First of all, the whole movie takes place in almost one setting. Not entirely of course, there are a few scenes to establish the characters. Their driving force and why the story takes the turns that it does.
Bill Skarsgård plays the protatonist Eddie. A small time crook who might not be entirely bad, but has had to make to tough choices in life. I think that one think has leas to another and therefor he’s in a position where he has to life from paycheck to paycheck and need to extend his income bu any means necessary. The sociopolitical comments about this is pretty obvious, even plainly spoken in the dialog. I guess you could have made that in a more clever way but the point goes across.
Inside the Locked universe
In the universe of Locked, the system favors the rich who already have more money and wealth than they’ll ever need. While tho poor or not so fortunate have little och no opportunities for a break in life. It’s impossible not to draw parallels to a capitalist society even if I’m reluctant to angle a film review in either political way. It is what it is and regardless och the nature of the true reality we can conclude that this is the truth in the universe of Locked.
Anyway when he encounters a nice SUV in a neighborhood not wealthy enough to host such a car he discides to make a change for himself. Furthermore, the car is UNLOCKED! His lucky day indeed! However… Once he gets inside, there’s no way to get out again. he’s locked in. The car’s apparently more or less a bunker. Soundproof and with one way vision glass. You can se out but it’s impossible to see in. The glass is also bullet proof so there is no escaping the vehicle.
This created the set most of the film is set in. There’s almost only Bill Skarsgård acting in it. And by the way, I think he’s more or less unrecognizable. If I didn’t know it was him I would never have guessed it. I think that is a good thing. All the best actors are really anonymous. Take Gary Oldman or Daniel Day-Lewis for instance. They become their parts and is not connected to their natural look like Tom Cruise or Arnold Schwzenegger. We get to se and act, a character, rather than a movie star starring in a blockbuster.
Bill Skarsgård is phenomenal in the part. What starts out as an opportunity to finally get a head of life turns into a nightmare when the owner of the SUV makes his entry. Anthony Hopkins plays William. most of the time via a hands free telephone in side the car. We cannot see him but we hear his voice as he torments the imprisoned Eddie. William of course, also has a backstory but we’re introduced to it a little at the time as the movie goes on. We get some pieces of the puzzle and we connect the pieces one by one.
He’s on the other side of the spectrum. He’s rich, too rich for his own good really. But even with all his wealth he failed to protect the ones dear to him. Now he seeks revenge. Now Eddie is not a rotten-to-the-core person. We see that pretty early on. But from Williams perspective there’s no real grey area. Either you’re the scum of the earth or you’re not.
What follows is an exercise in awakening Eddie to what’s most important in the world. He’s about to learn the lesson in the hardest way possible. William seems to be completely ruthless and while there sometimes seem to be compassion left in him, he might also change his might like a flick of a switch.
Unfortunately I find Locked a bit slow paced and uninteresting to begins with. It’s well acted and engaging but there’s something missing. Maybe it’s not so easy to make a capturing movie set in one place. It’s quite unusual, I can think abou two at the top of my head. Phonebooth and Buried. I remember liking them both even if I don’t have any clear memories of my experiences with them.
There’s some nerve missing even though you actually cares a bit about what happened to the characters. It’s a very strange feeling. uninteresting but still compelling in a way. As thriller it kind of fails in the aspect. As a social drama it manages to discuss moral dilemmas and sacrifice. Even the act of revenge and if that’s a moral acceptable solution is in the scope. But it was a little too long and a little too unengaging. Oh, and they could have spent more than 2 seconds on the end scenes…
