An excellent, unusual, disturbing and thought-provoking film

Rating: 9/10 (12 February 2006)

Without prior knowledge this long, long film threatened me with a late, late night. I started it with prejudice and with reluctance. Prejudice perhaps because the mere idea of death row is horrifying in itself, and to make a movie that is set right in and on death row sounds unappealing - and it is exactly that at first sight. But the quiet dignity of the boss warder (Tom Hanks) is convincing and compelling.
In juxtaposition to the 'quiet man' was the wimpy, nasty little thorn in his side - Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison) playing another prison guard. But as a vicious, sadistic little bastard who wants to inflict his own punishment on others because of his warped view of life and his own insecurities. Well enough played for one to develop a keen dislike for him within minutes of clapping eyes on him.
Set in a time not long after Fred Astair and Ginger Rodgers this film plays out the agony of seeing a huge black man brought onto death row as a convicted murderer of two little blond girls. Even his defending council says the he is guilty and never to be trusted - not even for a moment. Implying that if Hanks is foolish enough to trust him he will regret it. Despite that Hanks takes the risk and pays the price in an unexpected way.
This huge black man excellently played by Michael Clarke Duncan cures the ailing Hanks (he has a urinary infection in the days before antibiotics) just by a laying on of hands. Hanks accepts this as a miracle, but he then sees further evidence of this huge, gentle giant's miraculous powers.
With a real sense of claustrophobia the scene of the nasty guard, Percy Wetmore being punished by his fellow guards is not for the squeamish. It will worry me for a time to come.
The agony comes when the black gentle giant carries out further miraculous acts and yet is still not saved from the electric chair. The ironic 'punishment' Hanks receives for not saving him from his execution turns on its head what most of us would value greatly. It is both a sad, and yet at times a darkly humorous film, but at all events not to be taken for granted nor dismissed easily.
For me this was one of the most compelling films I have seen in a long, long time. If you only watch films just to be entertained, don't bother. If you watch films just to be excited, don't bother. If you watch films because you want to be transported to another time and another place and want to experience the moral dilemmas of some good men and to see the actions of some evil men then this will hold your attention from start to finish. You will remember this film as well as you have the Shawshank Redemption.