01/07/2025
MOVIE REVIEW: LOCKED 2025 Thriller 3/5 Stars 👍👍👍
A Claustrophobic Thriller That Struggles to Break Free.
David Yarovesky's "Locked," the 2025 American remake of the Argentinian film "4x4," promised a taut, single-location thriller with the formidable talents of Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins. While it delivers on the initial claustrophobic premise and showcases strong performances, the film ultimately gets trapped by its own limited scope, struggling to offer consistent tension or thematic depth beyond its intriguing setup.
The premise is undeniably captivating: Eddie (Bill Skarsgård), a small-time thief, breaks into a high-tech luxury SUV, only to find himself ensnared in a deadly trap set by the car's owner, William (Anthony Hopkins). William, a self-proclaimed vigilante, remotely controls the vehicle, subjecting Eddie to a psychological and physical ordeal. This cat-and-mouse game within the confines of a car holds immense potential for a white-knuckle experience, and for a good portion of its runtime, "Locked" manages to grip the viewer.
Bill Skarsgård delivers a commendable performance as Eddie, portraying his mounting panic, frustration, and desperation with conviction. He's tasked with carrying much of the film's weight, and his physical and emotional descent is palpable. Anthony Hopkins, largely relying on his iconic voice for the first half of the film, brings a chilling and almost gleefully sadistic quality to William. When he finally appears on screen, there's a certain gravitas, though some viewers might wish for a more overt "Hannibal Lecter" level of menace.
Director David Yarovesky attempts to make the most of the confined setting, with some clever camera work and attempts to create a sense of disorientation. The initial sequences of Eddie trying to understand his predicament and escape are genuinely effective, building a palpable sense of unease.
However, "Locked" struggles to maintain this momentum. The screenplay, while establishing a compelling concept, often falls into repetitive sequences of Eddie's futile escape attempts and William's rambling monologues. The film repeatedly cycles through the same beats of psychological torture and physical hardship without offering enough new twists or turns to justify its feature length. There's a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the characters' motivations or to introduce more significant obstacles that could escalate the tension.
Thematically, "Locked" hints at social commentary regarding wealth disparity and the nature of justice, but these ideas often feel underdeveloped. William's vigilante philosophy is presented without much nuance, and Eddie, while a victim of the trap, is also a character whose past choices contribute to his predicament, making it difficult to fully root for either party. This "heel vs. heel" dynamic, as some critics have pointed out, can lead to audience apathy.
While the ending attempts to provide some emotional resolution, particularly concerning Eddie's relationship with his daughter, it feels a little too neat given the brutality that precedes it. The overall sense is that "Locked" had a fantastic elevator pitch but couldn't quite translate that into a consistently engaging and impactful film.
In conclusion, "Locked" is a watchable thriller that benefits immensely from its lead performances and initial concept. If you're in the mood for a contained, somewhat unsettling experience with strong acting, it might satisfy. However, don't go in expecting a groundbreaking or deeply thought-provoking cinematic achievement. It's a solid, if flawed, attempt at a single-location thriller that ultimately struggles to unlock its full potential.
Reviewed by: GOGI VIRDI for GVF.
