Entertaining Prison Movie Isn't Nearly as Good as Its Rabid Fan Base Would Lead You to Believe

Rating: 7/10 (17 March 2009)

I'm utterly mystified at the cult of idolatry that has developed around this solid but not overly memorable prison film based on a Stephen King short story.
"The Shawshank Redemption" came out of nowhere in 1994 to be nominated for 7 Academy Awards, and I have to believe that it's the film's underdog story that has helped it to develop such a following over the years as much as it is the quality of the film itself. There's nothing egregiously wrong with it, but it's overly-sentimental and obvious film-making from a director who has done nothing but make too serious film adaptations of Stephen King novels.
I think it's become apparent over the years that Morgan Freeman is a one-trick pony when it comes to acting, but at the time he wasn't quite as well known, so the wise sage role he plays here seemed good enough to get him an Oscar nomination. However, it's Tim Robbins who really deserves the most praise as the man wrongly imprisoned. The less said about the actors who play the various prison personnel, the better -- they're all played as horrorshow goons.
The original Stephen King story was an entertaining bit of pulp, but Frank Darabont tries to turn it into something that the story just isn't -- namely, an epic story about one man's struggle to free his soul. As a result, where the story felt sleek and satisfying, the film feels sanctimonious and bloated.
Grade: B