With the recent success of the Dune film series, Denis Villeneuve has become one of the most coveted filmmakers in the industry with his work being compared to legendary films like The Empire Strikes Back. However, his prowess extends beyond sci-fi, delving into the complexities of human emotion across genres.
A prime example of his narrative depth is the 2013 thriller Prisoners. Starring an ensemble cast, including Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, the film follows a father’s relentless search for his missing daughter. In an interview, he discussed one of the gripping scenes from the film, as he shared that he pushed Jackman to his limits to get the best out of him.
Denis Villeneuve Reflected on Filming the Intense Scene in Prisoners
In an interview with IndieWire, Denis Villeneuve discussed filming one of the most intense sequences in the 2013 film Prisoners. The scene features an enraged Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) torturing Alex Jones (Paul Dano) for information about his missing daughter.
When asked about the safety of the actors while filming such emotionally charged scenes, the filmmaker shared that several precautions were taken and that the actors also played a crucial role in ensuring their safety. He highlighted that Hugh Jackman is always in control, and Dano also trusted him with the scene’s execution.
However, Villeneuve admitted that the initial takes didn’t meet his expectations. “I know the first two takes were not what I wanted,” he told IndieWire. Despite Jackman’s best efforts in multiple takes, Villeneuve felt the scene lacked the desired level of intensity and control loss he envisioned.
“Not that they were bad, they were just not what I was looking for,” he said before adding, “I was looking for him to lose control.” Villeneuve didn’t hesitate to provide critical feedback to Jackman during filming.
Despite the initial challenges, Jackman’s commitment ultimately prevailed, and they eventually captured the desired intensity. Villeneuve recounted how the successful execution of the scene garnered praise from the entire production team.
Denis Villeneuve Was Hesitant To Take On Prisoners
During his interview, Denis Villeneuve also shared that he was hesitant to take on Prisoners due to its intense and dark material. He shared that initially after reading the script he turned down the offer, as he felt deeply scared by the script’s themes of violence and darkness.
“But I was just out of Incendies when I read the script and I said, ‘No, it is too much,'” he said in his interview with IndieWire. However, the project kept coming back to him and he eventually decided to work with the story. And the filmmaker admitted feeling “anxious” and afraid throughout the production.
“I was very afraid of going through the process of shooting. I was very anxious about a lot of scenes and there were a lot of scenes I was afraid of. I kept saying to myself all of the time, ‘We cannot fall into that cliche.'”
He shared that everyone involved in the film was on the edge and expressed his gratitude towards cinematographer Roger Deakins, who earned an Oscar nomination for his work on Prisoners, for helping him navigate the film’s emotional and thematic complexities.
Prisoners is available to rent/buy on Prime Video.
