Director: Doug Liman
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Duration: 118 minutes
Locked Down (VOD) – Movie Review
Having the world on lockdown has been a disaster for many businesses, as their usual income was (and is) not guaranteed. Because of this, a lot of people have lost their jobs or were put on furlough until further notice. This also proved to be true for many movie releases during this period, where many publishers had to think of solutions where they could possibly still get some revenue. HBO Max has now been the perfect outlet for Warner Bros, releasing movies there instantly, instead of cinemas around the globe. Wonder Woman 1984 was also released in this fashion, to be later catapulted to the cinemas anyway. Nonetheless, the platform does this for free, rather than pursuing the Disney way of charging for VIP access that costs more than buying the DVD or Blu-ray when it gets released. That said, a new release for HBO Max is Locked Down, a movie about the lockdown, where people try to cope with this new situation, eventually resulting in a scheme to steal a highly-coveted diamond. Don’t fret, those without HBO Max can also buy the movie digitally without having to dish out money for a subscription.
We get to meet Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Eijofor), who are in London in lockdown together. The couple has been living together for quite some time, but right before lockdown, they decided it was time to call it quits. Sadly, due to the circumstances, they are somewhat ‘locked up’ together, creating a very awkward atmosphere. The film digs deeper into the problematic situation, as well as what actually drove the couple apart. Linda finally understands that her high-profile job is actually draining her, while Paxton wants to go forward, hoping to leave past mistakes behind him. When he gets hired for a transport job that involves a diamond under Linda’s insurance policy, things turn quite bizarre as there are whispers of pulling off a heist. The dysfunctional couple seems to have found a goal they both can support.
While the overall story is actually quite enjoyable, the movie does have issues in terms of pacing and flow. You’ll get a very lengthy introduction, to finally arrive at the point of the movie; the heist. This actually only gets fleshed out after the halfway mark of the movie, only to be settled in the last ten minutes. This is actually quite regrettable, as it does take away from the movie’s initial charm. Nonetheless, it’s still perfect to have on when wanting a relaxing evening, not having to worry about missing minuscule details.
The acting performances are somewhat limited to the performances of Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, who play the perfect imperfect couple. After Hathaway’s performance in the new rendition of The Witches, we were not expecting a lot from Locked Down, but we were pleasantly surprised. Hathaway’s, as well as Ejiofor’s character, have a surprising amount of depth. That being said, they are the main headliners for this lockdown performance, with a few cameos from Ben Stiller, Ben Kingsley, Stephen Merchant, and so on. While sometimes redundant, the short performances by these A-listers add a lot of quality to the whole picture.
As we viewed the VOD version of Locked Down, we have no knowledge of possible extras or special features included when purchasing a physical copy when it’s released. That being said, there is a small ‘funny’ scene that plays out during the credits, which certainly speaks to those looking for a feel-good moment.
Conclusion
Locked Down may not be the best movie you’ve ever seen, it will certainly satiate the hunger for a feel-good movie. Even though the movie could have easily cut its runtime short by about 30 minutes, there’s never truly a boring moment. You’ll have a fairly relatable movie to watch during a slow evening, which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.
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