Good movie, but not a masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (14 August 2003)

I was inspired to see Shawshank Redemption because of its ranking as second best movie of all time on this site, and a lot of people told me it was a brilliant film.I have to say I was a bit baffled after viewing this movie.It is certainly a good, entertaining, well-cast and acted film, but it is not anything special. I have seen quite a few prison drama movies like it. The brilliant performances and well paced story do set it apart from other similar works but still this does not explain how on earth Shawshank Redemption can be classified as one of the all time best cinematic achievements.
So I just want to caution anyone who thinks they will see something incredibly unique and magnificent. Without a doubt this art piece is very touching, however I found myself having forgotten about it a couple of hours after I had seen it. Not a sign of a masterpiece...
See the godfather, casablanca, american beauty, donnie darko, memento, moulin rouge for a truly breathtaking experience.
See Shawshank Redemption if you want to see a quality film.Definitely not a waste of a couple of hours!