Cool Robbins

Rating: Null/10 (21 May 2003)

(spoilers)
What I experienced in watching SR was close to a miracle. No, nothing religious about it. What I mean is, nearly ten years after its release, I was able to watch it without having heard anything about it before, including the "big twist". All I know is that it ranks #2 in the IMDB poll, and I share the puzzlement expressed in one of the comments (not that the film does not deserve ranking high....but THAT high?).
Watching it on TV and interrupted by numerous commercials hopefully did not take too much away. But what can I possibly say that has not been said in the one thousand one hundred twenty-five comments posted to-date on SR? Well, in my complete ignorance, I was led by the name of King to believe that this was a horror. When this misconception was soon dispelled, I continued to try to make up my mind as to whether the film falls into any specific genre and perhaps sub-genre (as High Noon created a sub-genre in Westerns). I was also not quite sure whether I was supposed to be made to think deeply or to be entertained. Then came the big escape, and I was enormously entertained.
If I were to mention just one thing about SR that impressed me most, it would be the character of Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins: an endurer, but not a martyr; a hero, but not squeaky clean; a loyal friend, but not a passionate man. Whatever he is or is not, one image emerges clearly: he is cool!
A fantastic film, and hats raised to Tim Robbins.