Flawless Story-Telling

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2004)

Hope. It is the single most powerful human emotion. It can keep you alive, and it can destroy your life. Hope can be the one thing left in a world where everything else is taken from you- and The Shawshank Redemption is the perfect artistic visualization of the tremendous power that hope can have over someone who has lost everything else.
The opening scene introduces us to a young and successful banker named Andy Dufresne, and the things that have transpired to destroy his life. We can't help but feel sympathy toward a man who finds out that his wife is having an affair, and then gets convicted for the double homicide of his wife and her lover- when he is innocent of the crime. Taken to Shawshank prison for two life sentences, Andy has had his entire life taken from him in a spiral of terrible events. It only gets worse at the prison, as the brutality of the prison guards is unbridled, and a few inmates make his life hell. However, Andy continually surprises the audience with his resilience and his character finds ways to amaze the inmates, the guards, the warden, and the audience. The story itself is not wholly original or groundbreaking, and there is no 'surprise-ending' or major twists that come out of nowhere to shock the audience. However, it is in the delivery of the story that this film excels beyond all others.
Every aspect of this movie compliments the incredible script written by Frank Darabont that was based on Stephen King's novella. The music is a composition of slow-moving and peaceful ballads that bring out just how long-winded a life sentence in prison can be, and how undaunted Andy is by the terrible environment he is in. The cameras move slowly and steadily, repeatedly scanning the prison and also emphasizing the endless span that life in prison truly is. On the artistic side, the movie is something to behold. But ultimately, what brings the entire movie together is the beautifully written and exceptionally delivered narration of Morgan Freeman, playing a fellow inmate named Ellis 'Red' Redding. Not only are we given a view into Andy's character through this man's observations, but we also see how Red himself changes his life as a result of Andy Dufresne.
The amazing thing about this film is how every detail in the entire movie somehow contributes to the story on the whole. It takes a few times of viewing before you can really appreciate just how intricate the plot is- how every single moment helps increase the power of the incredible ending sequence. It is not too complex, with many tangents that end up confusing the viewer. Instead, it runs with a simple theme and adds to it with everything that is depicted. The only negative thing I have to say about this movie is that the ending seems a bit drawn out, but by this time you are so enthralled and satisfied as a viewer that it should not pose a problem.
A great story, told flawlessly, with a powerful message. There is not a lot more that you could ask for in a movie. Entertaining and inspiring. Deep, yet not complicated. A message delivered with undeniable power, and an excellent movie experience overall. If you have ever felt like everything has been taken from you, then learn from Andy Dufresne. 'There's something inside that they can't get to, that they can't touch. It's yours.' Hope. It can set you free.