Review: The Last Castle, But Certainly Not The Least
- Jun 30, 2017
- 2 min read
As a genre, the prison film has had its far share of up and downs. Everything from action to horror, Oscar winners and bargain bin dropouts, if you want it, it can probably be found. The same can be said for war films, but rarely do the two genres intersect.
General Irwin (Robert Redford), a decorated war hero and one time POW, is sent to a military prison, his crime, disregarding a direct order from the president. The man running the prison, Colonel Winter (James Gandolfini) admire Irwin's achievements and knows that, despite there being no ranks within his prison, the generals fame runs before him. As Irwin serves his time, trying to quietly remain out of the way, he soon learns that Winter is more dictator than warden and, as the man with over 30 years of military experience, it's up to Irwin to set things straight, no matter the cost.
The Last Castle is a good movie. From performances by Redford and Gandolfini to an excellent action sequence toward the end of the film, great writing, an engrossing story and better characters, it is a good movie. While for some it may be no more than a militarised Shawshank Redemption, for me, it's the best prison movie to date. From the moment it begins to the moment the credits role you will be watching intently, hanging on every word, every moment.
Redford is suitably great as the stoic and calm General Irwin, rapidly establishing a rapport with both the prisoners and the audience. But it's Gandolfini who steals the show. Switching from smart to stupid, from a man trying to do his job to a borderline sadist, you will go from seeing him as little more than an obstacle to despising every word he speaks. He has a screen presence that is rarely seen. Mark Ruffalo and Clifton Collins Jr. also star, both bringing there own excellent performances in tow.
If you like Shawshank or Rules Of Engagement (that's a military drama, not a romcom) then you should definitely check out The Last Castle. It's an excellent showing of the power of acting alone, as well as having a fully satisfying finale.
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