Directed by Dennis Villeneuve, "Prisoners" is this year's upcoming American spellbinding crime thriller starring Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover and Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki.

The film had its unexpected debut at the 40th Telluride Film Festival gaining early critical praise with its first-rate ensemble and career-best performances of its actors.

"Prisoners" is a tense kidnapping drama that is packed with familiar set of genra ingredients but managed to lay them out with absolute precision. A tale of of two Pennsylvania families searching for their kidnapped daughters and the two fathers who will do anything within their power to find them before its too late.

The high-powered cast includes Viola Davis as Nancy Birch who is married to Franklin Birch played by Terrence Howard; Maria Bello as Grace Dover, Mellisa Leo as Holly Jones and Paul Dano as Alex Jones. Hugh Hackman is playing a small-town carpenter who turned to be vigilante in order to rescue his daughterand her best friend who went missing on Thanksgiving day.

Set to be shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, "Prisoners" is written by Aaron Guzikowski whose script was listed on the 2009 Black List of best unproduced screenplays. Hollywood's elite has been eyeing this script at one time or another, these stars include Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg.

The film features two and a half hours of unbearable tension that filled the 650-seat of Herzog Theater making it the most talked about film in the festival. Set to be released on September 20, 2013 by Warner Brothers, this film is comparable to Oscar winner films like Mystic River, Seven and Zodiac thanks to its high stakes investigation and mystery which only shed its light in its closing scenes.

The first entirely English language feature of the Quebecan director, Villaneuve succeeded of crafting one powerfully suspenseful moment after another without dragging it as he maintains a vise-like grip on the viewer without compromising the integrity of the film. This is an intense tale of crime and punishment which makes this investigative thriller deserving of an Oscar nod.

Hugh Hackman's portrayal of the character is one of his best performance yet. He effortlessly projects the solidity of being a father who sees himself as his family's protector and all the cast who gave their absolute best in portraying their individual character.

According to Deadline.com awards guru Pete Hammond, "Prisoners" is "an instant Oscar contender" and he also made a comprison to "Mystic River". The exceptional contributions of editor Joel Cox (who won an Oscar for "Unforgiven" and edited "Mystic River") and acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins are nothing but satifactory.