LOCKED: Anthony Hopkins Phones-It-In...Again

LOCKED (DVD)

2025 / 94 min

Paramount

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Road Warrior😽

Self-absorbed deadbeat dad Eddie Barrish (Bill Skarsgard) needs cash fast, so when he spots a fancy new SUV sitting unattended in a parking lot, he decides to steal it. 

But Eddie learns the hard way this isn’t just any SUV. Breaking into it is easy, getting out is another story. The doors lock, trapping him inside. The interior is soundproof and the windows are indestructible, which Eddie learns the hard way when he tries to shoot the glass, causing the bullet to ricochet into his leg. When the vehicle’s owner, William (Anthony Hopkins), calls through the car phone, he makes clear his intention to terrorize Eddie…

…and he has just the car to do it. William has customized the SUV so he can drive it remotely and control everything inside (radio, climate control, etc). Worse yet, the seats are equipped with tasers, which he repeatedly uses on Eddie. It turns out William has a pretty good reason for luring Eddie into the car, and for awhile, we might even empathize with his desire for revenge. Conversely, Eddie’s kind of a jackass, concerned only about himself. But during a key moment involving Eddie’s little daughter (and kinda disturbing if you’re a parent), William is revealed to be truly psychotic, while Eddie is overcome with remorse over how he’s been neglecting her.

"Yes, this is my burrito. And no, you may not have a bite."

Taking place primarily inside the car, Locked is a pretty entertaining psychological thriller with an interesting premise, though a little suspension of disbelief is certainly required at times. Being the only onscreen character for a majority of the film, Skarsgard delivers a solid performance that grows in intensity as Eddie becomes increasingly desperate. As for Hopkins…this is the second film I’ve seen - following 2022’s Zero Contact - where he’s literally phoning-it-in. We never actually see him until the final act, and while Hopkins is incapable of giving a bad performance, it doesn’t look like he’s trying all that hard here.

For a second-tier thriller, Locked more or less delivers as advertised. Considering the premise, the film lacks the tension and pace to be anything truly remarkable, but it’s proficiently put together and an agreeable way to kill ninety minutes. However, I’m not sure why it’s labeled as part of the Paramount Scares series. There’s nothing about it that could remotely be considered horror.