Detained, 2024.
Directed by Felipe Mucci.
Starring Abbie Cornish, Laz Alonso, John Patrick Amedori, Justin H. Min, Josefine Lindegaard, Breeda Wool, Silas Weir Mitchell, Moon Bloodgood, and Bernardo de Paula.
SYNOPSIS:
A woman wakes up in a police interrogation room with no memory of the night prior. However, something does not seem quite right in this police station.
Filled with twists and turns – some painfully obvious and derivative of a certain iconic reveal, others genuinely clever in ways setting up a fun premise – Detained lives and dies on that sword, elevated by intense forward momentum, a captivating ensemble, and some stylishly violent touches. As such, one has to question how much information to divulge while reviewing the film, but considering the official synopsis states that something is off about the derelict police station undergoing renovations, that seems like an acceptable place to start.
Following a night out, Abbie Cornish’s Rebecca awakens, well, detained by local authorities after blacking out where her vehicle supposedly crashed, accidentally killing a civilian in the process. It also appears that she had taken someone with her from a bar, was drunk, and was potentially drugged by this man. As Detective Avery and Moon (Laz Alonso and Moon Bloodgood) deliver some of these vague details while explaining the empty nature of the station, all with a designated attorney for Rebecca entering the dynamic (played by Justin H. Min) who occasionally misspeaks as if he failed one too many exams and doesn’t actually know what he is talking about or how to help, it becomes clear that something else is going on here, something likely related to the aftermath of a murder which has its crime scene briefly explored in a quick prologue.
Without giving too much away, that victim was Detective Avery’s best friend, someone he is unwaveringly positive Rebecca was having sexual relations with, also serving as a business partner of sorts, who has now inherited or ran off with millions of dollars. There are also other characters present in this building who either don’t seem to be who they are presented as, have some sort of connection to one another, or, more mysteriously, all seem to be in cahoots, taking orders from Detective Avery in his elaborate revenge scheme. Also related to this web of curious events is the unknown identity of someone else involved here, a silent assassin tidying things up who reportedly leaves no loose ends.
By far, the strongest element of Detained is its refusal to let up on relentless suspense, with Rebecca demonstrating a resourceful intelligence, smartly pointing out that, as Detective Avery increasingly becomes more unhinged and desperately psychotic in accomplishing his goal, there is a strong possibility he not only is that unknown assassin but that he is also staging the proceedings to kill off his team one by one and collect all the money for himself. Meanwhile, everyone at his side is given surface-level but believable reasons for going along with this terror, such as a hefty score to fund a father’s cancer treatment. What some of these characters are willing to do to get that money for their personal goals is certainly tested, unsurprisingly leading to a possible mutiny that is, once again, already having those flames stoked by Rebecca operating within a role that flips back and forth from helpless to fiercely opportunistic like the flip of a coin.
The film also stumbles, transitioning into its third act, introducing a couple more characters who are not brought in from the start, a confounding choice considering how badly these people want Rebecca to turn over the money. With that in mind, much of Detained does crack apart the more one puts too much thought into it. However, as a single-setting thriller, aware that it has to keep escalating in tension and stakes for viewers to put that into the back of their minds, it is effective, eventually erupting with some simply awesome sequences of deranged threats, barbaric chaos and revelations that, even with some of them being bluntly obvious, work in the context of director Felipe Mucci (co-writing alongside Jeremy Palmer) having narrative momentum and fierce performances on his side. It’s not the tightest of one-location mystery thrillers, but the ensemble, concept, dumb confidence, a fittingly cruel and brutal mean streak, and some flair do enough heavy lifting.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
