Waiting to die

Rating: Null/10 (17 March 2000)

Three hours for a prison movie from the team that brought us the Shawshank Redemption. Fair enough. Except it isn't a prison movie. It's a twilight zone mutation. What could have been a half decent film in a two hour spin was stretched beyond any worthwhile purpose into a bore of a tale that had me wishing I was next to be executed. If Darabont and King thought 188 minutes gave this film gravitas they were sorely mistaken. The only highlight is Michael Clarke Duncan who plays John Coffey. His performance as the gentle giant was moving.