If ever a film deserved a bag of Oscars, this is it!

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2000)

When one thinks of how many dross films have somehow managed to win Oscars you begin to lose faith when the classic SR doesn't even win one.
For the life of me I don't know why this film was overlooked - sure the critics didn't like it, and it didn't do too well at the Box Office because the title was just too difficult or ambiguous to remember. Nevertheless by the time it went to Video the film has had a second life to the point where it is in the top three films of all time according to the members of IMDb, and rightly so.
Prison films are nothing new of course, and neither is SR. But SR shines from so many areas that it has to be the best prison film ever.
I was particularly impressed with the cinematography from Roger Deakins, especially those wonderful sweeping pan shots from of the prison taken from above.
The acting is a revelation from all concerned especially Morgan Freeman who really should have won an Oscar. But then there's Robbins himself who I've never really warmed to, except perhaps for Jacobs Ladder. But he really is a tour-de-force here and should be proud of this film.
But the acting plaudits go deeper than just the two main stars; the support from Bob Gunton, William Sadler & especially Clancy Brown also deserve huge credit.
Its a very hard, uncompromising film but it doesn't play to stereotype. The violence is very real and yet warranted I think.
It does fall to the cliche trap on one or two occasions - the ending, although generally well done, was perhaps just a little pretencious for my liking, especially the preachy monologue from Freeman jarred just a tad.
Another annoying thing is the ageing process. Robbins hardly ages at all during his 20 year stay...but I'm quibbling.
SR is a superb, moving & rewarding film full of hope & belief. The sudden surge of emotional energy that went through me as Robbins stands in the pool, his arms outstretched as the rain lashes down on him!
In my virtual world The Shawshank Redemption won 10 Oscars and became a Box Office champ and was loved by the critics. The real world, just like the real world outside Shawshank Prison, is simply too cruel to want to think about!