The Escapist

Prison Break movies make good entertainment. Every one has the classic elements. There’s the trigger, that little push that sets everything in motion. There’s the planning, the recruiting, the threat assessment, the escape, the chase, and the outcome, whether they get caught or get away. Every Prison Break movie is a variation of this formula, but The Escapist added a twist, they played with the execution of time. You knew that all the elements would eventually be revealed, but you didn’t know when, or in what order. This creative touch really made you pay attention, and added a sense of intensity throughout the film. I found this movie quite entertaining.

The movie opens with the escape. Alarm bells are ringing, convicts are frantically crawling through small holes, and before you know it we are back days earlier, watching an old man in his cell sitting at a desk. We are now being introduced to the trigger. Brian Cox plays Frank Perry, he just receives a letter and the result is that he must get out of prison. Not in six months, not in one week, now. We are not told why, not yet, but we know he’s determined. Then we go back, forward in time, to the escape, and watch him being the last man to crawl through the hole. He’s holding his side and there is blood. Then, we go back to the past, for the next piece of the puzzle, and so on.

Even though the film jumps back and forth in time, it is still possible to follow the story. The reason is because of the formula. We know there’s going to be recruiting, we know that’s there’s going to be a series of threats to the plan, and we know there’s going to be a chase, and that things will go wrong. You just have to pay attention until you recognize what part is being revealed, enjoy it, and then wait for the next piece.

Damian Lewis plays Rizza, the top dog of the prison. He is a threat, but the real threat is Steven Mackintosh who plays Tony, the little weasel who everyone hates, but who is untouchable under Rizza’s protection. Add in the rest of the characters and you have Liam Cunningham as Brodie, the expert. Joseph Fiennes as Lenny, the muscle and lock man. Seu Jorge as Batista, one of Rizza’s men who has been recruited, the prison chemist. And Dominic Cooper, the new inexperienced guy who turns out to be the biggest threat of all.

The film was written with Brian Cox in mind, but everyone gives excellent performances. The movie is tight, and moves forward with precision, in spite of the time traveling. It is intelligent, spare, and gritty. If you like Prison Breaks dramas, you’ll love this film. I highly recommend it.

Rating: First Run Go to the bathroom and get your snacks ahead of time, you don’t want to miss anything in this film