Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Flashback thriller has violence, language, suicide attempt.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Locked In
What's the Story?
In LOCKED IN, Katherine (Famke Janssen) is in hospital following an accident, trapped in a state of consciousness but unable to communicate. As a nurse called Nicky (Anna Friel), works to understand what happened, she starts to uncover a web of lies, infidelity, and murder involving Katherine's now adult wards -- Jamie (Finn Cole) and Lina (Rose Williams) -- and local doctor Robert Lawrence (Alex Hassell).
Is It Any Good?
The setup feels promising, and the sets are atmospheric, but something about this twisty thriller loses its way before the final reveal. There are elements of gothic fairytale, psychological horror, and illicit revenge thriller, but Locked In ultimately feels like it could have had its tone a little better locked down. Janssen is well cast as the icy matriarch, obsessed with money and furthering her career, who becomes the center of the mystery when she's trapped in bed with locked-in syndrome -- all claustrophobic patient-eye view camera shots punctuated by a hospital machine score. Scenes in the aging mansion are haunted by shadows and pounded by rain -- nowhere feels particularly safe, just as no character feels particularly trustworthy. Narrators are reliably unreliable, none emerging as likable and all equally locked in to their own situations, whether it's stuck in a failing body, an abusive relationship, or an array of terrible secrets. It's a whodunnit that risks losing the audience as it brings out the worst in characters, and only rallies coherent motive from its players and commitment from its viewers at the last minute.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the use of the unreliable narrator in Locked In. Can you think of moments that you questioned what you knew about the characters? How did it affect the viewing experience?
Discuss the violence in the film. Did you find it intense/scary? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Talk about the strong language used in the movie. What did it contribute to the movie? Is a certain kind of language expected in a movie like this?
How did the movie portray sex and relationships? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
The film used flashbacks to piece together the narrative. Can you think of other movies that used a similar structure? How do they compare?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 1, 2023
- Cast : Famke Janssen , Anna Friel , Finn Cole
- Director : Nour Wazzi
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : November 2, 2023
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