Watch The Escapist For Free

Strong and Moving!

Let's be realistic.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

This is potentially one of the most overestimated films in the last decade. It is visually attractive, modern and stylish with interesting choice of colors but everything else seems to be a result of poor choices and even worse logic. This film is not a thriller and most certainly not an action film, as some of the reviewers have noted. It is a misery inducing exercise in bad drama that will leave you feeling just short of suicidal. To begin with, there is the "jumping back and forth in time" element. This is usually used in films sparingly, so that the time sequence either starts in the past and then finishes in the now or the opposite. This film jumps back and forth so many times and so often that you end up having no clue whatsoever what part you are actually watching. Not only is this irritating, but it also makes it impossible for you to actually follow the attempted escape as, just as soon as they start running, a couple of minutes later you find yourself back in prison. Secondly - character development. There is none. Full-stop. Films about escape are all about characters, that's what provides the element of suspense. The film becomes important when you start sympathizing with the lead character. None of that whatsoever. Also, the film advertises itself as a story about a band of misfits. Being a misfit to me means a person of a certain character - puzzling or interesting in some way, but certainly non conventional. In this film, however, you learn nothing about the characters apart from their names. Thirdly, the plan is developed in like 3 seconds. The main part of the film, the part that actually makes you invested as it tickles your intelligence and sense of imagination is just missing. No character development, no plot development in a film that has a difficulty deciding whether to be a drama or a thriller, but ends up being misery porn. See this movie if you want to irrevocably cast away an hour and a half of perfectly good time that can be used for a host of other, more interesting things.

This film has a lot of things going for it: a good cast, especially Brian Cox, a striking visual sense and some well written dialogue. However, it is let down by a number of arbitrary and confusing elements which do not gel to make a satisfying whole.One gets the impression of the British prison system is entirely run by the inmates with the indifferent warders looking on. Sadly this may be a fairly accurate portrayal of a modern British prison (although the living conditions are far more comfy than depicted here thanks to 'human rights'). But the impression is that certain scenes have been created just because they look good rather than because they serve any dramatic function. There's a strange and unexplained initiation ceremony for scantily clad newcomers; the now obligatory prison rape; and the lengthy intercut (apparent) escape scenes add to the confusion, even though they are highly atmospheric.The black drug baron is particularly ludicrous. He has an assortment of potions to hand which would make Harry Potter jealous. He's able to concoct a poisonous 'cat' substitute somewhere in the prison (not sure where, I didn't think that laboratories were standard requirements yet) over night.The 'surprise' ending merely added more questions rather than explaining anything. The comparison made to the Dallas shower scene made elsewhere is very apt.

WOW! This movie took me by surprise! Wow... I'd give my life to "Frank" should I have been in that place! I beg the producer-actors-anyone involved DO NOT repeat anything resembling this picture...it's classic perfect...move on now and leave this as it's standing masterpiece... This movie is an absolute surprise! I'm begging that this story will lay to rest here, however (authors) please bring forth anything else you present with this imagination...I loved this style of story-telling and it could have been any plot with this choice of characters! (hint hint more please). To sum this up this is perfect "getting the book across story telling representation" in my opinion! Fantastic...awwww I'm speechless, perhaps even longing to be inside that prison to get caught up! Rupert, Dan, Brian (OMG), Damian, Joseph, Seu, Liam (Wink), Dominic (Clap Clap Clap), Steve, Ned (Classic), Domhnall (You Rock lol) and and and (insert standing ovation)...last but not least again I say specially to you Brian Cox that Frank would hands down be the guy I'd most likely would like to have with me if meant life! (who thought of his character...neat mind) Kudos Brian...*Clap Clap Clap*.Toss this movie into your weekend things to rent list, see what it can do for you...I know it took me for a ride that was very intriguing. RIP Frank (my hero)!

A marvellous film, as tightly handled as Damian Lewis' t-shirt. The film is told in two narratives prior to and during a break out of a prison, woven together with the snug inevitability of a zip. Consequently there are not one but two big twists, neither of which did I see coming. Bravo.This in itself is plenty to recommend the film, but here's some further detail. The British cast is entirely brilliant. Brian Cox, naturally, but I also believed Joe Fiennes' scrawny thuggishness and, though an outsider in so many ways, Seu Jorge fits his role (and into the ensemble) seamlessly. The film's well designed and shot so that the prison seems genuinely rough. Set pieces do not grandstand, they simply exist within the prison.My one disappointment was in the sound design which successfully submerges a great deal of the dialogue. I understand that we're in an extended period in which 'acoustically naturalised' dialogue is fashionable but this was really bad. Nonetheless there was too much about this film - everything else, in fact - that made it utterly gripping despite such shortcomings. 8/10