‘Locked’ DVD Review
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Bill Skarsgård, Michael Eklund, Ashley Cartwright, Navid Charkhi, Gaston Morrison, Reese Alexander | Written by Michael Arlen Ross | Directed by David Yarovesky
With Halloween right around the corner, it’s the ideal season to dive into some truly chilling cinema. From the classic Universal Monsters to the blood-soaked slashers of the ’80s, right up to the latest modern horrors, fans never seem to get enough.
One of my personal go-to films this time of year is The Silence of the Lambs, where Anthony Hopkins delivered one of the most unforgettable and spine-tingling performances ever. Now, Hopkins returns to the genre with his latest horror outing, Locked, which has just arrived on DVD – perfect timing for your Halloween watchlist!
From producer Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell) comes this pulse-pounding horror-thriller. A petty thief (Bill Skarsgård) breaks into a state-of-the-art SUV, only to find himself trapped inside. Controlled remotely by its vengeful owner (Anthony Hopkins), the vehicle becomes a deadly prison, hurtling him into a high-speed battle for survival.
As I mentioned earlier, Anthony Hopkins is unforgettable as Hannibal Lecter, and here he’s equally unnerving but in a far more unhinged way. Locked wisely keeps his presence restrained, making every moment he appears all the more terrifying. Opposite him, Bill Skarsgård delivers a strong performance as a desperate man caught in a nightmare, fighting simply to survive. Locked is undeniably a tense and gripping ride, though it doesn’t quite have the depth or nuance needed to elevate it into true classic territory.
Locked has been transferred to DVD in widescreen format. The audio is English 5.1 Dolby Digital, and there are English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Now the transfer is adequate for standard definition viewing, but it is nothing to write home about. One of my favourite parts of physical media is the bonus features. Well, I am sad to report this is a bare bones release. There is no audio commentary, no interviews, and not even a trailer found on this disc. That is a big disappointment for me.
If you enjoy the films of director David Yarovesky – films like Brightburn and Nightbooks – well, Locked is an enjoyable thriller even with its flaws.
*** 3/5
Locked is out on DVD now from Paramount Home Entertainment. You can order your copy on Amazon now and check out our video review of the film right here.
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