Why Did Alex Choke The Dog In Prisoners

1. Introduction

The 2013 movie Prisoners is a powerful and intense thriller that follows the story of two families whose daughters are kidnapped. The movie stars Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover, the father of one of the abducted girls, and Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki, who is leading the investigation. One of the most controversial scenes in the movie is when Alex (Paul Dano) chokes a dog. This article will analyze why Alex choked the dog in Prisoners and what this scene means for the overall themes of the movie.

2. Background of the Movie

Prisoners is a psychological thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski. The movie follows Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) who, along with his wife Grace (Maria Bello), have their daughter Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) and her friend Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons) abducted from their neighborhood. With no leads in sight, Keller takes matters into his own hands and kidnaps Alex (Paul Dano), a mentally handicapped man he believes is connected to the kidnapping. During his interrogation, Alex reveals that he was hired by an unknown person to watch over Joy and Anna.

3. Analysis of Alex Choking the Dog

One of the most striking scenes in Prisoners is when Alex chokes a dog in order to prove his loyalty to his mysterious employer. After being taken captive by Keller, Alex is forced to call his employer and inform him that he has been captured. In order to prove that he was not working with Keller, he chokes a dog until it passes out in front of him. This scene serves to illustrate how desperate Alex is to prove his loyalty to his employer, even if it means hurting an innocent animal in the process.

4. Character Development of Alex

The scene where Alex chokes the dog also serves to further develop his character. Throughout the movie, Alex has been portrayed as a timid and easily manipulated character who lacks any real backbone or strength of character. However, this scene serves to demonstrate that despite his timid nature, he still has a sense of loyalty to his employer and will do whatever it takes to prove it – even if it means hurting an innocent animal in the process.

5. Themes in ‘Prisoners’

The scene where Alex chokes the dog serves to illustrate some of the main themes present throughout Prisoners – namely loyalty and morality. Loyalty is a major theme throughout Prisoners as both Keller and Alex are willing to go to extreme lengths in order to prove their loyalty – whether it be Keller kidnapping Alex or Alex choking a dog – this scene serves as a reminder that loyalty can come at a great cost. Morality also plays an important role in this scene as it forces viewers to question whether or not it is morally acceptable for someone like Alex to hurt an innocent animal just so he can prove his loyalty to someone else?

6. The Role of Violence in ‘Prisoners’

Violence plays an important role throughout Prisoners as it serves as a way for characters like Keller and Alex to assert their power over others – either through physical violence such as punching or choking or psychological violence such as intimidation or manipulation. The scene where Alex chokes the dog serves as an example of physical violence being used for power – as he uses physical force against an innocent animal in order to prove his loyalty and gain favor with his mysterious employer.

7. The Significance of Alex Choking the Dog

The significance of this scene lies in its ability to illustrate how desperate people can be when they feel they have no other options available – even if it means hurting an innocent animal in order to do so. It also serves as an example of how violence can be used for power – whether it be physical or psychological – which is one of the major themes present throughout Prisoners.

8. Morality and Ethics in ‘Prisoners’

The scene where Alex chokes the dog raises several questions about morality and ethics within society – specifically whether or not it is morally acceptable for someone like Alexa ndertake such violent actions just so they can gain favor with someone else? It also raises questions about how far people are willing to go when they feel they have no other options available- even if it means hurting an innocent animal in order for them to do so?

9. Reception and Criticism of ‘Prisoners’

Prisoners was met with generally positive reviews upon its release, with critics praising its intense atmosphere and suspenseful storytelling style. However, many critics were divided on certain aspects such as its use of violence – particularly regarding scenes such as when Alex chokes the dog – which some felt were unnecessary and excessive while others felt were necessary for conveying certain themes within Prisoners such as loyalty and morality .


In conclusion, we can see that there are multiple reasons why Alex choked the dog in Prisoners – namely because he wanted to prove his loyalty towards his mysterious employer – but also because this scene served to further develop his character while also illustrating some of the major themes present throughout Prisoners such as loyalty, morality, violence, power dynamics etcetera . Ultimately , this scene serves as an example of how desperate people can be when they feel they have no other options available – even if it means hurting an innocent animal in order for them too do so .


1) “Prisoners (2013)”. IMDb; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392214/
2) “Review: ‘Prisoners’ Is A Gripping Thriller That Will Keep You Guessing”. NPR; https://www.npr.org/2013/09/20/224341205/review-prisoners-is-a-gripping-thriller-that-will-keep-you-guessing
3) “Themes In ‘Prisoner’s’”. AcademicHelp; https://academichelpnetblogposts2015052themesinprisonerhtml

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