Locked Review: Bill Skarsgård & Anthony Hopkins Movie Is a Fun Ride

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The film is similar to Phone Booth (2002) in many ways, but with a twist of Saw (2004)’s intensity and a touch of Collateral (2004)’s suspenseful atmosphere. It’s a unique blend that feels reminiscent of an avid movie buff who has watched numerous underrated films from the early 2000s. The plot revolves around a character who attempts to steal a vehicle, only to find themselves trapped inside as it begins to move with deadly intent. What sets this thriller apart is its focused approach, never venturing too far off course and maintaining a steady pace throughout.

In this film, the characters are quite good, but they’re elevated by exceptional acting. Bill Skarsgård portrays Eddie Barrish, our unlucky car thief, a role that was originally intended for Glen Powell, whom I find to be an outstanding actor. However, it appears that the character fits Skarsgård better. His appearance matches the character perfectly, and his emotional struggles seem genuine, although sometimes his speech trails off or becomes mumbled, leaving only a few lines crystal clear. On the other hand, Anthony Hopkins delivers William with such elegance and charm, making him an elegant supervillain who deserves better recognition. Some of his lines are pitch-perfect, and it’s evident that he enjoyed delivering lines like “Tough titty” and questioning what Gummy Bears were.

Upon encountering Eddie, he appears as a problematic individual wearing a pink hoodie, a negligent father who uses vaping devices and sports a tattoo that reads “Anger is a gift” on his back. It’s during the instance where he spends pilfered money on lottery tickets instead of saving up to regain his van or offering more apologies to his daughter, we come to recognize that any potential redemption storyline for him might feel unwarranted. He does express intentions to work, given his proficiency with cars – a crucial detail later in the narrative – and he desires to improve his relationship with his daughter and baby mama, but these efforts are consistently too insufficient or tardy. Eddie is also the type who resorts to theft; he carries a gun for protection, as he claims not to be a murderer. As anticipated, he demonstrates the most progression in his character arc. It’s likely that many viewers will empathize with Eddie once they witness how much he would have given up for his child, but similar to other characters of this nature, we are left pondering whether he truly learned a lesson or merely gave the appearance of doing so due to being apprehended.

Contrasting him is William, a renowned doctor hailing from Wales, yet a man whose patience has been tested to the limit – his vehicle has been vandalized no less than six times, and a recent unfortunate incident has prompted him to take matters into his own hands. His situation is further complicated by a small prostate cancer diagnosis, eerily mirroring Jigsaw’s character. The authorities are powerless in dealing with such crimes, so he intends to leverage his considerable resources and intelligence to eradicate this affliction, even if it involves a touch of coercion or lethal action. Initially, William doesn’t recognize himself as a psychopath; rather, he sees himself as an amusing prankster on the phone, manipulating temperatures, playing irritating tunes, and delivering electric shocks to his victims due to their foul language. However, as time progresses, he becomes more hands-on in his approach and seems to have grown fond of this one-sided game of cat and mouse that he’s engaged in.

The two individuals have starkly contrasting backgrounds – one educated in formal academia while the other is streetwise. Their discussions about music, classic literature, and societal issues often escalate into debates over class systems. At first, their disagreement revolves around who sets the rules and privileges, rich vs poor. However, as the debate progresses, it turns into a heated argument with shouting, and both men display immature behavior. As they drive through the city, they discuss the plight of the fearful common people. Unfortunately, William’s actions quickly turn the audience against him by running over two criminals, taunting one before killing him, and drawing Eddie’s daughter into the chaos.

The conclusion of Locked leaves a fulfilling impression, maintaining its focus and avoiding unnecessary complexity or an extravagant finale with unexpected twists. By the end, Eddie is seen laughing like the Joker, mocking William for his version of justice compared to Batman’s, while our protagonist transitions from an advanced death trap into one of the most reliable items on the road – devoid of technology. Each development seems justified and well-earned.

This movie is moderately typical in certain aspects, yet it’s done in a commendable way. Unlike many films where characters are confined or kidnapped and the villain has an extravagant scheme, Locked opts for a straightforward approach. While viewers might not remember it forever, that doesn’t diminish its success.

As a gamer, I can’t help but notice some minor inaccuracies that might slip past in a movie. For one, soundproofing isn’t as instantaneously effective as portrayed – sure, we get some chilling moments of pin-drop silence, but it’s not quite that simple. Secondly, bulletproof glass isn’t enchanted; it doesn’t deflect bullets with unrealistic precision. Lastly, and this is a bit odd, the car radio occasionally plays songs it shouldn’t be, either due to mislabeled titles or licensing issues – they probably couldn’t afford to change the tracks or didn’t secure the rights for the songs they thought they could.

This film boasts several genuinely humorous scenes, cringeworthy “drink-my-own-urine” instances, characters uneasily munching on Gummy Bears, and when violence erupts or characters meet their demise, it’s not held back. In fact, my wife had to step out during the nail-ripping scene. This could be due to Sam Raimi (and his company) being involved in production. The film is a remake of an Argentinian thriller titled 4X4, with David Yarovesky (Brightburn) at the helm, and he seems to have handled it skillfully. Additionally, there are some striking shots, particularly of cityscapes and dynamic car chases, but never excessively so.

Locked Review: Final Verdict

Although it’s understandable to be skeptical about films that seem to overextend a basic idea, Locked remains steadfast in its course. It’s a consistently engaging journey that I would certainly suggest experiencing.

SCORE: 8/10

According to the review guidelines at ComingSoon, a rating of 8 signifies “Excellent.” Although it has some small flaws, this score indicates that the artwork successfully achieves its objective and leaves a lasting impression.

Disclosure: ComingSoon received a screening link for our Locked review.

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2025-03-20 00:41