Locked – A small-scale, claustrophobic thriller that delivers in a big way -

Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins star in this intense, claustrophobic thriller. Skarsgård plays Eddie, a man who has never quite been on the straight and narrow. He’s tangled up in various petty crimes, aimless, and a failure as both a man and a father. At the point where we meet him, his daughter would arguably be better off without him.

Eddie comes across a luxury car and decides to break into it—only the car’s owner, William, has been expecting this. Within moments, Eddie finds himself trapped inside. The vehicle is soundproof, fitted with bulletproof one-way windows, and rigged with tasers embedded in the seats. There are also cameras so William can watch his every move. Oh, and he can drive the car remotely.

The film is incredibly contained, and Skarsgård delivers a phenomenal performance. Despite working almost entirely with his voice, he conveys fear, anger, and a whirlwind of emotions with astonishing depth. As his captivity drags on, his character arc begins to take shape. He’s forced to confront his selfishness, his failures, and, most importantly, his daughter—the one person who still sees some good in him. He realises that, eventually, she’ll stop waiting for him. When that moment hits, it hits hard.

But let’s not pretend Hopkins’ character is a saint. William psychologically tortures Eddie—blasting deafening music, starving and dehydrating him. At one point, he even stalks Eddie’s daughter and attempts to run her over as a scare tactic. Whether or not he truly would have stopped remains unclear, but it’s a scene that will have audiences shouting at their screens. Watching her desperately try to escape on her scooter, only to fall in the middle of the road, is enough to send anyone’s anxiety through the roof. These tension-filled, pulse-pounding moments keep us on edge throughout.

We do get some backstory on William and his motivations. While his logic in targeting criminals is understandable, it’s far from justifiable.

Locked is a gripping, high-stakes thriller that holds your attention from start to finish. Hopkins channels his inner Jigsaw, controlling everything from the shadows, while his high-end black Jeep takes on a menacing presence of its own—like Knight Rider’s KITT gone rogue.

It’s an instant hit. A small-scale, claustrophobic thriller that delivers in a big way.