Locked (2025) Review

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“Locked” Film Details

Runtime	1 Hour(s) and 35 Minutes
Release Date (Theatrically)	March 21, 2025
Advisory (MPAA) Film Rating	Rated R
Genre(s)	Horror, Thriller
Director(s)	David Yarovesky
Writer(s)	Michael Arlen Ross
Based On Work By	Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat
Distributor	The Avenue Entertainment

Summary

Eddie is down on his luck, and he does petty theft to try to make ends meet and pay his bills. This isn’t enough to give his daughter, Sarah, the time and life he wants, but Eddie does what he can. Unfortunately for him, though, when entering a fancy car in a secluded parking lot, hoping to find something, he encounters William, who tortures him for days, all in the name of his brand of justice.

Cast and Character(s)

Eddie (Bill Skarsgård)

With owing child support and more, Eddie is in the hole. While he is trying to maintain his relationship with his daughter, his inability to give stability and consistency to himself naturally makes it hard to give that to Sarah. But desperation means Eddie is willing to do something illegal to try to make ends meet, knowing it is wrong but not having time to wait for the right opportunity to come along.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Boy Kills World.”

Sarah (Ashley Cartwright)

Sarah loves her dad dearly despite what has gone on with her mom and dad. He does disappoint her sometimes, but it is clear he is trying, and being as young as she is, she is willing to forgive him and show him he can be the dad she knows he can be.

William (Anthony Hopkins)

Notably wealthy but also nearing the end of his life, William finds himself contemplating the injustices of the world. He feels that poverty isn’t what’s wrong, but the lack of effort people make to get out of it. He doesn’t see a lack of opportunities but people who want something handed to them without work.

William recognizes he is from a different generation but at the same time, he struggles to see any point Eddie could make, any justification, for not being a better person, a better man, and because William is tired of people not being punished and understanding consequences can mean more than a slap on the wrist or a minor inconvenience, he decides to do what he feels more judges should, and make an example out of Eddie.

• The actor is also known for their role in “One Life.”

Review

Highlight(s)

You Get Invested In Eddie’s Survival [80/100]

Admittedly, Eddie trying to improve as a dad is a cheap way to get the audience invested, but I’d submit it could work for some. While, like William, there is something a bit bland about Eddie’s position as the struggling everyman, who can’t catch a break, the opposite of William’s, “Work hard and you can earn anything,” Sarah gives just enough for you to care if Eddie lives or dies eventually.

This especially becomes true as William seems to want to up the ante and get Eddie’s loved ones involved as part of his punishment. Seeing Ashley Cartwright scared for her life and Eddie willing to sacrifice himself for his daughter could easily pull on the heartstrings of those who like a sappy moment. Not to the point of ever crying for Eddie, but maybe thinking there is enough in “Locked” for things to turn around.

On The Fence

William’s Performance Veers Beyond Love To Hate [73/100]

It is often said that if an actor gets a reaction out of you, they did their job. But the trouble with William and Anthony Hopkins’s performance, in extension, is that it feels like something is missing when it comes to William. He is a man who, in some ways, justly wants to punish Eddie. William has lost a lot thanks to vagabonds like Eddie, but rarely is there a push to want to take William’s side, defend him, or justify his position.

And mind you, it isn’t because he is rich and set up Eddie, but because he is just such a dry and two-dimensional villain. On top of that, hearing him drone on about the downfall of society, how he pulled up his bootstraps, and the spiel you have undoubtedly heard many times before, Hopkins brings nothing to. This is especially true when he is just a voice-over, taunting Eddie and torturing the audience with his monologues.

Now, thankfully, things turn around when Hopkins and Skarsgård are face to face. It is then, when Hopkins is allowed to physically work with Skarsgård, you see what feels like rapid recovery. But for some, it might be too little too late by the time he shows up in the flesh.

Overall

Our Rating (76/100): Mixed (Divisive)

The idea behind “Locked” isn’t bad. The problem is that the characters, especially William, don’t have the depth needed. Because of this, Eddie can feel heavily reliant on cheap sympathy, and William can sometimes appear to be a mustache-twirling villain. This ultimately leaves you with a film you know could have been better due to who is in it, but the writing sadly doesn’t give enough to work with to allow the actors to excel.

Movie Contains

Dialog	Cursing (Common)
Violence	Gun Violence, Violence Against Children (Threat), Gore, Blood, Torture
Sexual Content	Nothing Notable
Miscellaneous	Drug Use, Smoking

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