Didactic and overlong

Rating: 1/10 (19 November 2000)

Another one of those overlong morally right-on movies that never rises above average - saved only by the acting.
Its bleeding-heart politics 'dignity of individual maintained in adverse conditions' is played-out well enough but actually lacks any real dramatic tension.
Dufrane is a two-dimensional character who seems to go through the drama by numbers - there's never any doubt that he will triumph in the end, it's only a matter of how.
Tim Robbins has done many more interesting films than this one - try The Player or Bob Roberts if you're looking for drama/moral ambivalence and how they interact.
Basically, there are a lot better prison films than this one - Jailhouse Rock for starters.
Like most Stephen King stories - quite prosaic. There was a story in here somewhere but it got over-inflated and somewhat lost along the way.

One to watch on a rainy day when there's nothing better to do.