Susan Granger’s review of “Locked” (The Avenue/Prime Video)
With the release of “Saw” (2004), fans of the low-budget horror genre were introduced to a new premise, one that was even more terrifying because of its believability. Now, “Locked” follows in its footsteps.
Sleazy, selfish Eddie Barrish (Bill Skarsgard) is a petty thief, deadbeat dad who often forgets to pick up his daughter Sarah (Ashley Cartwright) from school and is perpetually behind on child support payments to his estranged wife.
Working as a driver, he’s $500 short to get his old delivery van back from the garage mechanic who installed a new alternator – when he spots a black luxury SUV in a remote parking lot. Hoping to find cash, perhaps in the glove compartment, he’s stunned to find the car unlocked.
Surreptitiously slipping inside for a quick search, Eddie suddenly realizes that he can’t get out. The car is soundproofed and the windows are tinted so no one can see him. Squirming in panic and desperation, he lacerates his arm while trying to pry off a door panel and – firing his gun at the bulletproof glass – he accidently shoots himself in the leg.
Suddenly, the Bluetooth phone rings. It’s William (Anthony Hopkins), the car’s owner, who is obviously watching via the vehicle’s surveillance cameras from a nearby building. Eddie is the seventh thief who has broken into the car, and self-righteous, sadistic William is determined to teach him a lesson.
“I set a trap, and you took the bait, Simple as that,” William explains. “You couldn’t resist and now you’re mine to do with as I please.”
Whining and whimpering, Eddie pleads and cajoles – before passing out from blood loss. When he awakens, his wounds have been cleaned and bandaged. Apparently, William is a doctor, so the psychological tormenting and torturing of trapped Eddie continues.
Remaking the 2019 Argentinian thriller “4×4,” screenwriter Michael Arlen Ross and director David Yaroevsky strike a timely note regarding ‘accountability’ but their attempts to arouse empathy for abrasive Eddie seem superficial and shallow.
FYI : William’s vehicle is a one-of-a-kind Dolus, a custom-built Land Rover Defender-based SUV, costing $1.3 million.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Locked” is a claustrophobic, character-centric 3, streaming on Prime Video.
