No Escape (1994)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Martin Campbell

Writers (WGA):

Richard Herley (novel)
Michael Gaylin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 April 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

No guards. No walls. No escape.

Plot:

Robbins is sent to prison for the assassination of his general officer, a prison you only get out of when you die...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Island | Escape | Imprisonment | All Male Cast

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ray Liotta	...	Capt. J.T. Robbins
Lance Henriksen	...	The Father
Stuart Wilson	...	Walter Marek
Kevin Dillon	...	Casey
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Stephano
Don Henderson	...	Killian
Ian McNeice	...	King
Jack Shepherd	...	Dysart
Michael Lerner	...	The Warden
Ernie Hudson	...	Hawkins
Russell Kiefel	...	Iceman
Brian M. Logan	...	Scab
Cheuk-Fai Chan	...	Skull
Machs Colombani	...	Ratman
David Argue	...	Cellmate

Also Known As:

Escape from Absolom
The Penal Colony (USA) (working title)
The Prison Colony (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

118 min | South Korea:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | South Korea:15 (cut) | Argentina:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

There are strong similarities between the plot of this film and that Robert A. Heinlein's short story "Coventry". Both feature a protagonist who is a convict sent to a futuristic penal system which is actually a wilderness outland whose inhabitants have split off into two warring social factions. In the movie, the hero befriends a character known as The Father; in the short story, the protagonist befriends a man named Fader, which is Dutch for father.

Quotes:

Marek: I have removed all the heads of state...
[Dumps out sack full of decapitated remains]
Marek: ...I really want to be in charge!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kicking and Screaming (1995)

Soundtrack:

BOOGIE SHOES

weird vision of the future.

Do not be misguided by the opening sequences of this one. The entire film is in fact set on a remote island which serves as a 'prison' so to speak (upon which men sentenced for life, are sent to by a lunatic) and not in the futuristic building we find Liotta at the beginning.

The movie reminds me very much of "Waterworld" in style of sets, costumes and character depiction but also of Golding's "Lord of the Flies" in theme. Liotta's character in my opinion takes to long to identify itself and by the time it does, too much action takes place to be able to diplomatically take sides.

Campbell however, ably blends mystery and suspense with action and a few twists, creating what I can only define as a weird 'Tim Burton-type' achievement.

Enjoy, but take it with a pinch of salt. Rating:*** (Good)