Every individual harbours secrets. While some are harmless, others can be devastating. In Netflix’s latest crime thriller, Locked In, the protagonists are expectedly guilty of the latter. The film opens with Katherine (Famke Janssen) waking up from a coma after a near-fatal accident, only to reveal that it was an attempt to murder.
In what seems like director Nour Wazzi’s aim to bring something new to the horror genre, the film explores various types of mental prisons the characters find themselves in. We see Katherine in a prison of vanity and self-doubt, as she believes her empathy put her on a path of destruction. In a weird turn of events, her adopted daughter Lina (Rose Williams) becomes the wife of the former’s hypochondriac stepson, Jamie (Finn Cole). Lina too is in a prison of self-pity and co-dependence because her relationship is more habit than love. The makers throw in a third wheel in the form of the hot doctor Lawrence (Alex Hassell), and the stage is set for a tale of love, lust, and betrayal.
The plot unravels with a nurse (Anna Friel) investigating Katherine’s murder, and Lina serving as the narrator, revealing just enough to keep herself from becoming a suspect. As exciting as the premise sounds, it is followed by a rather disappointing turn of events. The machination of the characters is sinister, but not unpredictable. For instance, right from the moment Lina meets Lawrence, we know where the story is headed. Apart from the mood of the film, which borders on the dark and gothic, Locked In doesn’t really bring in a sense of novelty to a narrative that has been done to death.
Despite having an ensemble cast, Locked In revolves around just a handful of characters—the only thing that works in favour of the film. Famke plays an acceptable foil to a restrained Anna and a grounded Rose, all of who deliver impressive performances. The biggest disappointment, however, is the climax. The cliched writing doesn’t aid the film, especially in the last act, which is just a hodgepodge of ideas. When the credits finally roll, the audience realises that they had been in a prison of their own for the last 90 minutes.
Locked In Director: Nour Wazzi Genre: Horror Platform: Netflix Language: English
