Will we ever see it's like again?

Rating: 10/10 (14 October 2002)

For me this film is about as close to perfection as I can imagine. Somehow a first time director's adaptation of a fairly average and forgotten novella by a horror writer has turned out to be one of the most beloved movies ever made. Watching this film is truly a magical and life affirming experience, which profoundly affected me after seeing it for the first time. Andy's journey as he crawls through "a river of s*** and comes out clean on the other side" as red puts it, has become an inspiration to millions of people. The film's central message, that hope can lead us by the hand through the darkest times in our lives, and give us the courage to go on, is surely one of the most eloquent and beautiful sentiments ever delivered through the media of cinema. This film has become a modern phenomenon, a cultural benchmark, and has proved the incredible power that movies still posses.