By Charlie Thompson, Staff Writer 

The new biopic of “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen, “Primetime,” sticks the audience right at the peak of the 2000s tabloid TV craze and delivers some of the best performances, tension and cinematography of the year. 

The film follows Hansen, played by Robert Pattinson, as he fights to keep his segment on primetime TV with increasingly eye-catching confrontations, eventually building up to a breathtaking and horrifying climax. 

Pattinson delivers arguably the best performance of his career as he transforms himself into an obsessive and overly passionate TV host desperately trying to one up his previous episode. 

Right behind Pattinson, however, is an equally outstanding performance from Skylar Gisondo who plays the “bait” to lure predators into the camera equipped trap houses. His arc throughout the film, as he questions whether he is truly an actor, is marvelous and could not have been done without his stellar acting throughout. 

“Primetime” is the first film from director Lance Oppenheim who made a career from directing and producing surreal investigative documentaries. Oppenheim brings his signature style into “Primetime” with the use of grainy early 2000s style lenses and vivid color combinations that provide an unearthly effect of terror and surrealism throughout. 

The general cinematography and shots present in the film are absolutely marvelous. The best example comes toward the end of the film where rain is used as a symbol of division and guilt. There are multiple shots in which rain physically separates characters or people hinting at a split personality or a vast internal conflict that many of the characters struggle with. 

The film also blends many different genres together. “Primetime” is equal parts satirical comedy, surrealist horror and thriller making it enjoyable for just about anyone.  

When the film leans into the horror and thriller aspect, the tension during those is almost palpable with how well it is done. When it shifts into the satire element, it is equally interesting with how well it portrays the media industry and the ethical problems that occurs when justice is commercialized as entertainment. 

“Primetime” is sure to start many conversations. 

Many viewers may be uneasy with Hansen’s portrayal in the film as fame-hungry and ruthless, but the portrayal perfectly fits the film’s narrative of Hansen becoming obsessed with the spotlight and losing track of what the show was about in the first place. 

So no, Hansen is not “the bad guy” in “Primetime” but instead a morally gray character who must live with the consequences of his own actions. 

One of my favorite examples of this moral ambiguity from the film comes when the decoy character Dan tells Hansen that “he’s afraid of becoming a bad person” to which Hansen replies, “Your definition of bad and my definition of bad are vastly different.” 

“Primetime” pulls the audience in and forces them to hold their breath until the final second of runtime. Its shocking, bold and impossible to look away from. 

All in all, “Primetime” is a phenomenal film on multiple levels. It’s a technical masterpiece with visual design that deserves serious praise come award season, paired with some of the best horror and tension elements of the year. 

Beyond that, it is a truly exceptional critique of the television industry and when real life crime blends with entertainment. 

 “Primetime” is one of the best films of the year and should be at the top of your watch list this fall break. Prepare to be utterly consumed.