Release Date:
04/03/2009
Directed by: Rupert Wyatt
The Skinny: A "lifer" in a tough British prison (Brian Cox) decides to hatch an escape plan when he learns that his junkie daughter is on the verge of death. He rallies together a ragtag group of inmates, including a jacked-up Joseph Fiennes, and sets his plan in motion under the watchful eyes of wardens and the prison's resident "king," Rizza (Damien Lewis).
The Good: There are probably way too many therapy bills involved in the question of why we can't seem to get enough of prison movies, but The Escapist earns a spot in the upper tier of this mini-genre. It doesn't check off all the usual cliches, which is appreciated, and the story is lean and mean with very little dialogue. It sounds dull, but it's the exact opposite. The looks, nods, and shared silences create an almost unbearable tension. It doesn't hurt that the cast is uniformly excellentespecially Cox (no surprise) and Fiennes, who completely sheds any residual Shakespeare In Love ponciness as the badass Lenny Drake.
The Bad: It's difficult to explain some of our minor concerns without spoiling the ending, so we won't. But, honestly, this is a pretty solid movie overall, so even our small nitpicks don't amount to much.
VOD: The Escapist is only getting a small theatrical release, but it will be available On Demand starting Friday.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? If you can find a theater, go for it. If not, definitely worth the VOD rental.
The Skinny: A "lifer" in a tough British prison (Brian Cox) decides to hatch an escape plan when he learns that his junkie daughter is on the verge of death. He rallies together a ragtag group of inmates, including a jacked-up Joseph Fiennes, and sets his plan in motion under the watchful eyes of wardens and the prison's resident "king," Rizza (Damien Lewis).
The Good: There are probably way too many therapy bills involved in the question of why we can't seem to get enough of prison movies, but The Escapist earns a spot in the upper tier of this mini-genre. It doesn't check off all the usual cliches, which is appreciated, and the story is lean and mean with very little dialogue. It sounds dull, but it's the exact opposite. The looks, nods, and shared silences create an almost unbearable tension. It doesn't hurt that the cast is uniformly excellentespecially Cox (no surprise) and Fiennes, who completely sheds any residual Shakespeare In Love ponciness as the badass Lenny Drake.
The Bad: It's difficult to explain some of our minor concerns without spoiling the ending, so we won't. But, honestly, this is a pretty solid movie overall, so even our small nitpicks don't amount to much.
VOD: The Escapist is only getting a small theatrical release, but it will be available On Demand starting Friday.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? If you can find a theater, go for it. If not, definitely worth the VOD rental.