Rated R 3 1/2 stars of 5
“Escape Plan” sounded good for today, because that’s what movies are all about – an escape from our mundane lives.
Breslin (Sylvester Stallone from The Expendables) is an expert at breaking out of prison. He’s so good, he gets seven figures each time he pulls a “Houdini” and exposes the security problems with the most secure federal prisons. He literally wrote the book on prisons and that works out great for him until he gets placed in one designed using his book.
This prison is a private, CIA, “off the books” kind of place. Like Guantanamo without the health plan or an address you can find on Google Maps. This is where send people they want to disappear for good.
As you might guess, nobody knows it’s just a game this time, and Breslin is completely on his own. That is until he makes friends with Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger from The Last Stand.) I won’t tell you what Rottmayer has to do to win his trust, but I can tell you it’s hot.
I kind of thought this movie was going to be like “Tango & Cash” which Stallone did over two decades ago, or a sequel like “Two Old Guys Make Cash.” At least neither one said, “I’m getting too old for this paycheck.” These fellas are in their late 60s, and they still got it, and there is enough story and plot here for a solid action movie. They throw in a mix of “Shawshank” and “Cool Hand Luke” moments along with enough originality to make it interesting.
I like rooting for the prisoners and against Hobbes (Jim Caviezel from The Passion of the Christ), the sadistic warden. Even if there are some silly twists, I still got to see two icons of the action genre deliver one more right cross and heft a 50-caliber machine gun from the chopper and mow down the bad guys. Yeah, they make some of their signature moves, but not enough to have you rolling your eyes.
“Escape Plan” was a nice surprise and a nice escape to the theater. I am giving this movie 3 ½ stars out of 5, and if you are like me and do not want to offend Brian De Palma (director of the original Carrie) by seeing the new “Carrie” out today, this is a great place to disappear for a while.
Tom Basham is an indie filmmaker.
Here is a link to his movie review site: http://bashmovies.wordpress.com/
