From “The Drama” to “The Odyssey” and, in just a few months, “Dune: Part Three,” it’s safe to say that Robert Pattinson has been on a generational run. Despite taking up roles that place his acting range on full display, the last thing anyone would have thought was for him to play America’s most famous predator catcher. As ludicrous as it sounds, Pattinson’s dedication to the bit, along with director Lance Oppenheim’s proficiency of the psychological thriller genre, has resulted in what may be one of the most interesting films of 2026.
Armed with a seedy, neon ‘80s slasher film grain filter, Oppenheim perfectly encapsulates an era of American television when ratings came before discretion. With kaleidoscopic and highly saturated colors that feel straight out of a Gaspar Noe film, the surrealistic visual direction evokes a sense of mockery for this certain period in television history all the while adding on to the film’s fever dream tone. While some of the horror visuals work superbly when heightening the suspenseful atmosphere Oppenheim was trying to go for, one can’t help but think how dramatically superficial and unnecessary it feels especially when considering just how dull the real events actually were.
“Primetime” makes it practically clear that Chris Hansen is not a man to be rooting for. Along with a vivid portrayal of his more personal issues, the reasons for Hansen’s overall obsession with capturing predators is displayed in a way that neither glorifies or vilifies him. One of the most interesting conflicts that the film has to offer is the clash between Hansen’s mission of stopping child predators all the while “cleansing the world of an ancient evil” and his overall obsession for fame and recognition. If anything, Hansen is painted more as a complex character than a straightforward villain.
Additionally, the film exceptionally outlines the mental toll that Hansen’s crew faced given the excellent performances of Skyler Gisondo and Phoebe Bridgers. The film doesn’t shy away from positing questions surrounding the harmful consequences of civilian justice and how actual law enforcement contributes to these detriments when outright allowing vigilantism to happen.
One of the film’s gravest injustices has to do with the lack of displaying the various degrees in which predators were actually charged. Those more familiar with what went on behind the scenes know that “To Catch a Predator” has played a part when it came to the cases of predators being thrown out due to the show’s interference in the investigations. Despite having the opportunity to establish a more cohesive message surrounding predator-catching and vigilantism today, the film ultimately cops out with a contained story of Chris Hansen’s rise and fall.
Even with its missed potential, the film holds up as a snapshot in time when American television was unregulated and concerned with entertainment rather than ethics all while placing another notch in Robert Pattinson’s belt when it comes to top-grade acting performances.
Verdict: Despite valuing style over substance, “Primetime” manages to tell a solid tale about the heyday of Chris Hansen and “To Catch a Predator.”
