A typically dumb movie for Stallone, which packs in all the usual clichés and characters into a shallow yet satisfying package. If you've ever seen any other prison movies then you'll know what to expect here: the gang of thugs, Stallone's loyal pals, the hero's stay in solitary confinement, beatings by the guards, and the guard who turns out to be an ally of the hero. Thankfully, this is a fast-paced movie which packs a lot of cheesy male-bonding, double-crosses, and action into the running time and at least turns out to be consistently entertaining for a mainstream movie.
Stallone, as per usual, plays a squeaky-clean character who has to face up against the bad guys. Stallone's acting skills are perfectly suited for a lowbrow movie such as this and he fits in nicely. Sonny Landham (previously an adult star) is also very good, and hissably evil as a cruel inmate who is determined to make his life miserable. The supporting cast is unusually good for a film like this, a fact which makes Stallone's movie more enjoyable than Van Damme's prison offering, DEATH WARRANT. John Amos is a hard-as-nails guard with compassion in his heart, a young (and thin) Tom Sizemore is a wacky fellow inmate who becomes Stallone's pal, and the familiar Frank McRae is a huge but cuddly car-lover. To top it all off, a previously "big name" actor stars as the chief bad guy...it's none other than Donald Sutherland, who has had a nice thirty-five year career playing in horror and cult movies. Sutherland has a ball as the sadistic, ruthless, and slightly demented warden.
Basically, the various scenarios throughout this film are just different ways to make Stallone suffer. He has to suffer holding his breath for over a minute in a poisoned cell, getting locked up in solitary, getting stabbed and beaten plus lots more. Of course, you just know that Stallone and his pals are going to turn the tables at the end in what is a pretty good, tense conclusion. LOCK UP is a film for Stallone fans, prison movie fans, or just casual viewers who want to switch their brains off after a hard day at work.
Stallone, as per usual, plays a squeaky-clean character who has to face up against the bad guys. Stallone's acting skills are perfectly suited for a lowbrow movie such as this and he fits in nicely. Sonny Landham (previously an adult star) is also very good, and hissably evil as a cruel inmate who is determined to make his life miserable. The supporting cast is unusually good for a film like this, a fact which makes Stallone's movie more enjoyable than Van Damme's prison offering, DEATH WARRANT. John Amos is a hard-as-nails guard with compassion in his heart, a young (and thin) Tom Sizemore is a wacky fellow inmate who becomes Stallone's pal, and the familiar Frank McRae is a huge but cuddly car-lover. To top it all off, a previously "big name" actor stars as the chief bad guy...it's none other than Donald Sutherland, who has had a nice thirty-five year career playing in horror and cult movies. Sutherland has a ball as the sadistic, ruthless, and slightly demented warden.
Basically, the various scenarios throughout this film are just different ways to make Stallone suffer. He has to suffer holding his breath for over a minute in a poisoned cell, getting locked up in solitary, getting stabbed and beaten plus lots more. Of course, you just know that Stallone and his pals are going to turn the tables at the end in what is a pretty good, tense conclusion. LOCK UP is a film for Stallone fans, prison movie fans, or just casual viewers who want to switch their brains off after a hard day at work.