Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Excellent, a Must See

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It's well worth watching, it's only failing is it starts with the PC view of a brutal White led prison regime. These men were surrounded by very violent inmates who not only attacked the guards but murdered each other before the take over even happened. A basic truth applies you can't judge people and past events by your modern morals. The finale probably mirrors scenes that have horrified us recently that would automatically shift our perception of bad guys. As for the actual ending, it just portrays how the mightiest nation on Earth can't seem to stop prevaricating on what action to take, let alone doing it right. The real story is hostage lives matter, but political careers mean far more.

Not that this matters with regard to the quality of the movie but this was one of the first original movies made for HBO where they didn't have to sell their soul to a movie studio. Enough preaching, this is on the level of Shawshank. In my opinion better but different. Prison is hell for the guards and the inmates. Sometimes the inmates need to revolt and this movie does a good job taking a real situation and presents both sides of the story perfectly. You feel for the inmates, you feel for the guards. The problem is the system. The acting is great and this isn't a politically correct movie or a movie with a political agenda with the exception of an anti government theme. I would recommend this film to anybody with a sense of personal freedom or revolt against the system. I am surprised this isn't a cult movie on the lines of A Clockwork Orange.

Frankenheimer was a bear to work with, he treated the crew terrible and all the extras worse. I guess he was struggling to save his career. I worked in the property department, and I still think about digging the old man up and setting his body on fire. The prison was a good location except all water had to be shipped in. (bad plumbing) Kyle McLaughlan, Samuel L. Jackson, Fredrick Forrest were top notch to be around...they and of course Harry Dean Stanton are true professionals.The movie in the end was missing the "ummp" that makes it a big release. But hey, a job's, a job. Nashville deserves bigger pictures to be made there, they have great production people.

"Against the Wall" reveals a reality everyone knows is there and yet is afraid to look at. Our Correctional System not only doesn't help any in the ressocialization of the inmate, but also generates more violence. What makes this movie a great movie it the fact that you won't stop thinking about it the moment it's over. This is real life, this is true. And you'll think of it over and over when you lay down to sleep.