Hope and beauty masterfully depicted in a timeless classic for years to come

Rating: 9/10 (14 December 2019)

The Shawshank Redemption was likely going to be good. Nothing outstanding to timestamp on the history of film, but by 1995 it had suddenly grown a cult following and understandably so. It took a few years to become to cinematic phenomenon it is but in 1994 it was still recognised by the Academy with a best picture nomination, but it could not contend with big players such as the likes of Pulp Fiction and eventual winner Forrest Gump. Whether or not it should have won that year's Oscar award is still highly debated due to the quality of film from that year, but by no doubt it has aged the best, even better than Tarantino's acclaimed and admired Pulp Fiction.
Does the Shawshank Redemption have great cinematography? Yes. But is it monumental to film like Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon or Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai? No. It's not specifically outstanding. Is it an artsy and classy film with technical detail to inadvertently sway the audience's emotions? To an extent yes, but not quite as artsy or technical as Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy or Martin Scorcese's Raging Bull. It is simply an excellent film with excellent technique made into a timeless film because it is so rewarding to the viewer. For starters, the plot is excellent. It is often a very underrated factor of a film but your plot is so important to a viewer. It is a tale of a man wrongfully convicted of murder who uses his wit, integrity, patience and most of all hope to persevere. It instills a reason to watch the film, to watch the protagonist struggle under such odds. Like said before, the camera work is excellent with them utilising the shot variation to convey the emotion of the scene. And next I would like to mention the sub plot. One often failed thing in films. They try too hard to build the sub charachter and in the end it does nothing in the long run. The main sub plot of an old man who owns a library in the prison is such a great contributor not only to the story but to the circumstances and environment. Not to forget the excellent acting and narration by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. It has absolutely fantastic antagonists as well.
As well as this, it acts quite like a David Fincher film in that it rewards you more whenever you watch it a second time around. There are little details and smart lines of dialogue which you can pick up on. It is just so fantastic how every minute of that film gets tied in a neat little bow. Everything comes full circle. Perhaps nothing so unexpected would turn out to be so excellent. I only take issue with the ending which with the beginning is the most important part of the film. I hear one of the Castle Rock producers insisted on a complete conclusion with the ending, but if that little knot had just stayed untied then that film would have been even better. In spite of this, it is with no doubt in the top 10 (and likely top 5 films ever made). Afterall, it hasn't been IMDB's top film for so long for nothing. Pure excellence.