‘Locked’ Review: Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins Square Off in a Battle of Wheels

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The term ‘high concept’ originally referred to films with clear, concise, and engaging storylines, but now it’s often used more casually to describe movies that seem unoriginal rather than innovative. For instance, consider a film like ‘Locked’. It revolves around a thief who becomes trapped within the very car he is attempting to rob.

In the remake of the 2019 Argentinian film “4×4,” director David Yaroevsky (“Brightburn”) transforms the original’s time-constrained suspense into a deep character study under high pressure, which he layers with contemporary political discourse. However, the phrase “results may differ” could hardly be more accurate for this movie, given its star-studded cast featuring Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins. Despite their impressive acting credentials, Yaroevsky manages to deliver on his task, but not consistently.

The remake of the 2019 Argentinian film “4×4,” directed by David Yaroevsky (“Brightburn”), takes the original’s tense atmosphere and turns it into a character study under pressure. It also includes political commentary that feels modern. However, the movie can produce different results, even with big-name stars like Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins in the lead roles. While Yaroevsky follows his instructions well, the end result is sometimes inconsistent.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m diving into the world of Eddie Barrish, a guy with a knack for getting himself into trouble. My old delivery van is stuck at the garage of local mechanic Karl (Michael Eklund), and I need another $500 to get it out. Until then, I can’t pick up my daughter Sarah (Ashley Cartwright) from school – a small act of responsibility that I hope will help mend things with my wife Amy (Gabrielle Walsh). Desperate for cash, I resort to an unconventional method: breaking into the nearest unlocked car I find. After a bit of searching, I come across a black SUV and slip inside to rummage through its glove compartment in search of some quick cash.

Unfortunately for him, when he attempts to leave the car, he realizes it’s locked, making escape seem impossible. In his desperation, he scratches his arm as he struggles to remove a door panel, and then, in an unfortunate turn of events, a bullet from his gun bounces off the window and wounds him in the leg. As he sits there, bleeding and frustrated, a call comes from the car’s owner, William (Hopkins). William, amused by the situation, informs Eddie that this is the seventh time his vehicle has been broken into, and he intends to teach the offender a lesson about justice, as he feels the legal system has failed him.

After suffering heavy blood loss, Eddie loses consciousness, only to regain it later in the car with his injuries dressed and bandaged. At this moment, he understands that William’s intentions extend beyond balancing the scales for a minor offense, reaching into darker, more ominous territories. With limited resources other than his intelligence, Eddie begins devising an escape plan, soon recognizing that it’s not only arrest or some form of harsh punishment he’s up against, but a genuine threat to his life from William’s revenge.

In the screenplay for “Locked,” written by Michael Arlen Ross, Eddie’s character is presented in a more nuanced and empathetic manner compared to the aggressive criminal portrayal often seen in films like “4×4.” For instance, while attempting to break into cars, he shows compassion by giving water to a dog through one of the windows he couldn’t access. This character type is a common trope in cinema: a working-class man with good intentions who has stumbled in life, whose actions the audience should support due to his evident, heartfelt affection for his daughter.

In “Locked”, Ross presents a character named William who appears to embody everything that lower-class moviegoers might find objectionable according to Ross’s beliefs. Despite his background as a wealthy elite, he criticizes social permissiveness and entitlement. However, his backstory about a tragic event involving the death of a loved one is used to explain his thirst for revenge. This film choice might not resonate evenly in today’s cultural climate where the divide between the rich and poor seems wider than ever. In “Locked”, this characterization feels more like a shallow device to differentiate characters rather than to justify the harsh treatment William inflicts on Eddie.

In the role of Eddie, Skarsgård doesn’t naturally evoke sympathy from viewers, maybe because his past roles as unsavory characters have been convincing. It’s hard for us to buy into his character’s claims that he genuinely cares about his family and is on the verge of making positive changes. On the other hand, Hopkins, who is undoubtedly talented, struggles in his portrayal of William. This role seems to be yet another instance where he’s asked to elevate subpar material that doesn’t fully utilize his skills. Although William’s tragic past is moving, his perspective often feels detached from our own, and the logic behind his harsh behavior isn’t always clear.

Following the intrigue of “Brightburn,” Yaroevsky approaches this project with undeniable enthusiasm, albeit driven primarily by the need to secure future projects. His direction within William’s vehicle maintains a coherent and straightforward sense of location. Regrettably, he initially uses extravagant camera work to explore the car’s interior, creating a disorienting circular tracking shot. Fortunately, he soon abandons such flamboyant showmanship. However, Ross’ script doesn’t effectively anchor William’s complex revenge plan, causing the film to feel more like a spectacle (similar to “Devil” or “Buried”) than a plausible situation. Instead of presenting a thought-provoking concept, it feels more like an abstract idea, one that fails to connect its setup with a compelling motivation or meaning that could generate significant dramatic impact or depth. While “Locked” has some appeal, it ultimately falls short in making viewers eager for the journey, not just placing them in the car with Eddie.

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2025-03-20 07:17