Am I Missing Something?

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

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.

Frank Perry is a prisoner with a life sentence who receives a letter from his daughter, who has not heard from for fourteen years. She is a drug addict who has overdosed and is near death. First the good; the soundtrack is by Coldplay, and its' darkness matches the overall mood of the film. And now the bad; the non linear style which goes back and forth between the planning, and the actual escape. The underlying drama of the junkie daughter just didn't work for me and it doesn't ever reach the excitement level of The Rock, with Sean Connery, or Escape from Alcatraz with Clint Eastwood. Brian Cox is adequate in the lead role, but lacks the star power of Connery or Eastwood. The Escapist is much more low key then the two aforementioned movies. Watch them or, of course, Shawshank Redemption, if you are looking for a prison drama.

First I must say this is the first time I have written a review for IMD. Though I am a IMD junkie. Use it all the time. Was compelled to write regarding this movie. It was one of the best prison movies made in a very long time. A lot of what I would call hardness and softness. Which is why I think it would appeal not only to men but women also. Plus I think they said the "f" word about as many times as I could count on my two hands. Which is to say a lot. Meaning that a quality movie, involving this subject matter, can be great without using that word every other sentence.Nough said. Watch it!

I enjoyed the movie even though it was a bit slow. I also found British prison English hard to understand at times requiring me to rewind and listen over and over again to attempt to get the dialog.I really liked the historic value of the escapees moving through the tunnels and aqueducts of the London system. During their escape from prison they managed to find their way to an old abandoned "Tube" station used during the German bombings of London during World War II. There are remnants found during that period including an old withered gas mask and other relics of that time long ago forgotten.At the beginning of the war officials had misgivings about the use of tube stations and underground tunnels as public shelters due to disease and the danger on the tracks. But, as history tells us they used the "Tube" in the long run. The English found the "Tube" to be a suitable sanctuary and preferred them over other air raid shelters at that time. Tracks were decommissioned, cots and porta-potties were brought in, and the rivers were reinforced with flood gates and embankments. The "Tube" did have its casualties, the worst being stampede in which 173 were crushed to death by others. In addition, there were many direct hits of the "Tube" during the war which were kept secret until well after the war.