A great movie with a gazillion different intertwined themes

Rating: Null/10 (2 August 1999)

This movie has gradually become my favorite. After the first viewing, I was in complete awe at the way the events lead up to the final events with Andy. The second time, I realized that the prevalent theme is hope. The third, then the fourth, then the fifth... etc.... forever, I realized that this movie has so many elements, that a review such as this doesn't provide ample space to discuss them all.
I think that what makes this movie so unique, is its portrayal of prison life. Most of the time, prisons are either romanticized in that they don't portray all of the harsh elements of it. The other times, the writers try too hard to prove how harsh a prison is. They portray them as places where the convicts should give up hope because its Hell on Earth until you die, and everybody begs to come out as soon as the parole board gives their say-so. This movie, however, completely illustrates the harsh realities of prison, as well as a place where one learns to hate it, but then gets used to it (as Red said). Andy made a best friend there. Had he not gone to prison, he never would've met Red. Besides, the prisoners (for the most part) seemed to be having a fairly good time most of the time and probably couldn't imagine being anywhere else.
Stephen King also brings out an element of crime and punishment. I find it very ironic that Andy, a fairly good man is the only one that doesn't give up hope of living on the outside. I think that one of the most important parts of the movie is when Andy talks about how whatever sins he has committed, has been paid for. Andy is one of the only ones that doesn't give up hope because he doesn't belong there.
One more thing is the way that Andy brings a form of salvation to others. He makes prison more human. He gets the guys the beers so that they'll never forget the freedom of the outside world. In addition, he asks for the name of the "fresh fish" in the beginning. As proven by a later movie, Saving Private Ryan, asking what a person's name is seems to prove as a very effective way of humanizing what is actually inhumane.
There are a gajillion other themes, but I would exhaust myself trying to explain them all. So if the thousand of other good reviews on this page don't influence you to watch it, hopefully this will. The acting is incredible (as a guy, its hard to imagine that a two hour plus movie without an actress is bearable). I don't think that you can compare this movie with any others because there aren't too many movies that inundate the watcher from the beginning with loads and loads of themes and concepts. Furthermore, its impressive the way almost every element has some significance. In the beginning, even the most trivial of details that evade the eye the first time become essential elements in Andy's final scene (in hope not to spoil the ending).
But I must warn you. The first time: this movie is good, the second time: its better, the third time: its addicting. Don't say that I didn't warn you. Ten plus out of ten!!! Thank you IMDB for finally putting this very underrated movie in its rightful place.