Escape Plan

Action thrillers are always a great way to escape into another world that has nothing to do with yours, so we can spend a couple of hours being kept on the edge of that proverbial seat. Even though they are typically not a literary piece, they allow us to unwind and have fun until the ride is over. And what a better way to fulfill that escape that by seeing both Stallone AND Schwarzenegger in the same film and that film is "Escape Plan".

Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone), the world's foremost authority on structural security agrees to take on one last job: breaking out of an ultra-secret, high-tech facility called "The Tomb". But when he is wrongly imprisoned, he must recruit fellow inmates Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Javed (Faran Tahir) to help devise a daring, nearly impossible plan to escape from the most protected and fortified prison ever built. His major obstacle is Warden Hobbes (Jim Caviezel) and his plethora of guards including the maniacal Drake (Vinnie Jones) who is at their heels every step of the way.

Others to round out the cast are Amy Ryan as Abigail, Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson as Hush, Sam Neill as Dr. Kyrie, the prison's Doc, Vincent D'Onofrio as Lester Clark, Matt Gerald as Roag, David Joseph Martinez as Captain Newal Beradah, Alec Rayme as Pilot, Christian Stokes as Babcock, and Graham Beckel as Brims.

This was directed with a very dark level of intensity and grit by the incomparable Mikael Hafstrom ("Vendetta" '95, "Days Like This" '01, "Evil" '03, "Drowning Ghost" '04, "Derailed" '05, "1408" '07, "Shanghai" '10, "The Rite" '11). He can bring out that over-the-top emotion which is needed to keep us riveted to that seat. This was written by Miles Chapman and Arnell Jesko based on a story by Chapman. This script had a few places that were a bit choppy and another place that makes you wonder why these characters were continuing with this 'cat and mouse' game, but the premise is so appealing, that one can be forgiving after a certain point. Even Stallone isn't made to look like he's a pile of rocks with a head--he's actually smart and strategical in this.

If you are in the 18-24 single male demographic, you will love this, but actually there is something for others here as well. Hey, if allowing oneself to escape for a couple of hours at the multiplex is considered empty and mindless, I'll do it in a heartbeat!

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                          Rated: R                        116mins.