Release Date – 04/03/09 (Limited)
A story that follows a non-linear, and almost a stream of consciousness type of narrative, The Escapist is an edge-of-your-seat gritty suspense puzzler. Leaving you back on your heels until the third act’s knockout blow that has you dazed and thirsting for more. It’s being compared to great films such as The Great Escape, Cool Hand Luke and The Shawshank Redemption, for obvious reasons. Having but one common theme, breaking out of prison. No, with it’s unconventional telling, The Escapist resembles films more like Memento, Mulholland Dr. and Stay.
Frank Perry (Brian Cox) is a “Lifer,” and twelve years into his sentence he receives a letter from his estranged daughter, who by now would be in her twenties. From the letter, Frank learns of his daughter’s abusive drug habits and as a result some heart complications leaving her on the verge of death. In a last ditch effort to straighten out his daughter’s life and salvage what’s left of their relationship, Frank schemes up a brilliant plan to escape one of London’s most brutal maximum security prisons. Frank recruits and enlists an entourage of misfits to aid his attempts. His closest friend and confidant Brodie (Liam Cunningham), the high strung tough-as-nails boxing thief Lenny Drake (Joseph Fiennes) , a trader and drug dealer Viv Batista (Seu Jorge) and Frank’s newest cellmate Lacey (Dominic Cooper) rounding out the usual suspects.
Our main protagonist, Frank Perry, is superbly portrayed by Brian Cox. Perhaps his career’s finest. A number of his scenes are without any dialogue whatsoever, and Cox was able to convey pain, heartache, frustration and anguish with great conviction. Cox was backed up by great performances by both Joseph Fiennes and Liam Cunningham, not to mention an eerie, psychotic and sycophantic turn on the character Tony from Steven Mackintosh. However, I was disappointed in only one cast member and that was Damien Lewis. Rizza is a great character and Lewis played him great, but his lack of screen time took away from the strength of his persona as the “Mafia Don” of the inmates. I love Damien Lewis, especially after seeing the entire series of Band of Brothers and I was expecting to see more of him based on the trailer. My one and only complaint.
“You got one thing going for you, Frank. You’re to old to die young.”
The film offers a fresh perspective on a classic and daring prison escape. Along with the unique and original screenplay by Daniel Hardy and Rupert Wyatt and the electrifying and pulse pounding score enhancing Wyatt’s direction and visuals. The Escapist glistens as that rare hidden gem.
IMDb – 6.9/10
Rottentomatoes – 71 %
MovieWiseGuys – 8.0/10
