The role of Joe didn't require Joaquin Phoenix to memorize many lines for this harsh and violent narrative. He earns his living by finding girls who have disappeared – whether they left on their own or not – and bringing them back home. Sometimes these rescues are simple, but more often it’s a risky undertaking that forces him to fight against people in various positions of authority. It's this latest mission to save “Nina” (Ekaterina Samsonov) that is pushing him to his limits; as he works to free her from a brief stint in the adult film industry and protect himself, memories of his own difficult childhood surface. Fueled by adrenaline, will this operation be what finally breaks him or allow him to triumph over a father whose abuse continues to affect this man in his forties? Phoenix delivers a strong performance here, employing a restrained style that feels almost raw. His character is both determined and focused while also being lost and wounded, and I thought the limited dialogue was an effective way of understanding what motivates his vengeful but ultimately kind actions. The film begins with considerable energy, although it does have difficulty maintaining that level of intensity after roughly thirty minutes. However, as the focus shifts to exploring his character’s psychology, I didn't mind seeing some of the usual graphic violence replaced by something more subtly disturbing. While the plot follows a fairly predictable path and doesn’t generate a great deal of suspense, it remains consistently engaging. If possible, watch this in theaters; the sound design is crucial for creating the tense atmosphere, and that experience benefits from having Dolby surround sound. I also appreciated that “Nina” isn't portrayed as helpless.

Source on TMDB