Reviewed by: Dusty Carr Review
Date: October 18, 2001
Director: Rod Lurie
Producer: Robert Lawrence
Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Starring:
Robert Redford
James Gandolfini
Clifton Collins, Jr.
Mark Ruffalo

THE PLOT:
A dapper five-star general gets convicted of a noble crime and is sent to "The Castle," a maximum-security prison run by the military. Quicker than you can say 'O Lord, not another prison movie!' - he uses his leadership abilities to form an army of convicts.

THE REVIEW:
I didn't want to see this movie because Robert Redford is the star - and anything Redford stars in gives me the willies. He's always pulling these self-satisfied 'Look Ma, ain't I handsome' grins, with his hair swept over and layered with such scientific casualness, that I find myself kicking out the theatre seats.

What can I say; Redford must have been the inspiration behind 'Zoolander'. I can no more imagine him as a five-star general than I can as a prisoner whom other prisoners - including some real hardened bastards - follow to the edge of death. But this movie asks me to do both - and they don't make hallucinogenics strong enough to take that leap - believe me baby, I'd know.

This is a typical prison movie, where you have a warden and his team of junkyard guards versus the rough-exterior-but-heart-of-gold prisoners. How often have you seen this movie? Oh, hello Cool Hand Luke. Why look, it's Mr. Shawshank Redemption! You get my drift.

When you add to this the fact that the warden, played by James Gandolfini, is ugly and sweaty, and Redford is squared-jaw and cool-as-ice, taking sides in this story is somewhat easy. But personally, I was rooting for Gandolfini because - not only does he contribute an outstanding performance - I'd root for anyone who has the potential to give Redford a good smack on the side of the head.

It seems that the warden's big problem is that he has never fought in combat, whereas Redford is Mr Experience, having been a PoW in Vietnam (I can't believe they're still milking the Vietnam Vet gig), plus winning medals in about fifty other wars dating back to the Crusades. Basically, Redford wants the warden to be nicer, like him. But the warden is just too damn ugly and sweaty to ever be as nice as Robert Redford. So they have a showdown that forms 'the climax' of this illustrious picture.

Is there action? Sure, but it's predictable and goofy. Is there suspense? Gee, I wonder who's going to win? Ugly Man or Handsome Man? What a choice!

If you want to see a good prison flic, get out 'Papillion' with my late great buddy Steve McQueen. It's a movie that Robert Redford never could have starred in because prisoners weren't allowed to use combs.

THE BOTTOMLINE: This is basically a cartoon, so save your bread and watch 'The Roadrunner'. You always end up rooting for the Coyote - because he doesn't care if he's ugly and unpopular, and evil is always more appealing than 'nice'.

© 2001 IMC Communications Inc.

Be sure to visit Dusty at www.filmcan.ca