Survival and Triumph

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 1999)

A lot of The Shawshank Redemption points to one theme, never give up. We have a hero, will played by Tim Robbins, pitted against corrupt prison guards and an evil warden. We wonder how he will survive the oppressive prison system and the cruel inmates. This is pretty standard but what makes Shawshank special is the connection between the Robbins character and another inmate in the prison played by Morgan Freeman who also narrates much of the film. The relationship between these two is one of discovery not only of inner strength but also how strong a friendship can be.

Much of The Shawshank Redemption is mood and emotion. We feel terror, heat, boredom and anger. Every aspect of the movie is a quality piece of work to drive home the feelings of the story. The entire cast is very good in how they fit into this closed often horrible world.
Along with this praise comes some criticism. In the middle of Shawshank I thought that the pace was too slow. I know we are supposed to see bored inmates but boring the viewer isn't the way to go. I won't give away the ending but it has a fantasy quality about it that just doesn't fit the very real nature of most of the movie. It's a Hollywood ending tacked on to a more serious film.
The Shawshank Redemption is a quality effort and is a welcome change from the routine action, horror or romance junk food films that are mostly released today. It takes a hard view of life but also shows the unbending will of the human spirit.