#thelastcastle

[jgpalanca]

Finally! Been waiting forever for a bluray release of #TheLastCastle https://www.instagram.com/p/CPcd_KTgZV7/?utm_medium=tumblr

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Last Castle (2001)

I was able to foresee about 75% of the developments in The Last Castle. I nonetheless enjoyed watching it. I’d compare it to seeing a film based on a historical event you studied in high school. You know where it’s going so the entertainment comes from seeing the way the events are connected.

This action drama is set inside a castle. Well, not really. Castles have walls, defenses, a strategic position, banners under which the guards hold their chins high. Usually, they keep bad guys out. This one keeps people in. Lieutenant General Irwin (Robert Redford) has been sentenced to ten years in a maximum-security prison. The prison’s commandant, Colonel Winter (James Gandolfini) sees the newcomer as a threat. A battle of wills ensues as Winter utilizes the guards and to dominate the inmates. Frustrated by the show of force, they rally under Irwin's command.

The story becomes increasingly implausible but I was able to look past this for the most part. Winter has all the power... or does he?. With the armed guards, the ability to open and close the doors, the radio, access to vehicles, and weapons, he rules with an iron fist. Anyone who rebels is dealt with swiftly and without prejudice. In another film, he'd be the hero. Hundreds of military criminals don't inspire sympathy. His delusions of grandeur and abuse of power make him a villain. His opponent is more sympathetic without being strickly good. Irwin deserves his sentence. The way he handles himself around Winter is what makes you cheer for him. This conflict is robust enough to make you forgive the absurdity of the conclusion. It’s just fun to see these men push each other around.

Wondering what Irwin’s next move will be, how Winter will react to it keeps you invested. What will be the last straw that pushed things over the cliff of civility? While you're waiting, there are some good performances from the leads. They, and the supporting cast (which includes Mark Ruffalo as a slimy convict), keep you invested.

There are two issues which hobble the film. Firstly, you can foresee what's going to happen next far in advance. The conclusion, that final confrontation between the two giants who've been eyeing each other during the entire film is downright nutty. The events are plausible, the characters act logically but stuff comes out of nowhere. The prisoners come up with elaborate weapons to stage their big rebellion. You have no idea how they put their arsenal together. We’re not talking shanks made out of toothbrushes. We’re talking serious MacGyver stuff that I doubt my friends and I could assemble over a few months even with access to hardware stores, the internet, and free reign to do whatever we want in our free time. I have to hand it to the movie though. As far-fetched as it all is... the results certainly are exciting. I'd compare it to a game of chess between King Leonidas of Sparta and the Warden from Shawshank Redemption. It's entertaining but pure fantasy.

If you can craft a scenario that'll have you cheering for inmates, it makes for a great conflict. There’s a lot of politics going on within this prison; potential for betrayal, corruption, makeshift weaponry, deception. With the injustices in need of righting, and action, it's a good watch. Sometimes it turns bad, and the word "cartoonish" comes to mind. Altogether, it adds up to a mild recommendation. You have to suspend your disbelief to get through The Last Castle. If you can, you'll be pleased. (On DVD, May 10, 2015)

[kalki-maitreya]

"Dear Tiye. I am still out here, I am still trying." #ThroughTheYearsAndFarAway #TheLastCastle https://www.instagram.com/p/B7j7ky_niBp/?igshid=khe67l19zllb

[aprioriposterous]

" Take a look at a castle. Any castle. Now break down the key elements that make it a castle. They haven't changed in a thousand years. 1: Location. A site on high ground that commands the territory as far as the eye can see. 2: Protection. Big walls, walls strong enough to withstand a frontal attack. 3: A garrison. Men who are trained and willing to kill. 4: A flag. You tell your men you are soldiers and that's your flag. You tell them nobody takes our flag. And you raise that flag so it flies high where everyone can see it. Now you've got yourself a castle. The only difference between this castle and all the rest is that they were built to keep people out. This castle is built to keep people in. " makes me want to watch "taps" and "the shawshank redemption" now... 😂 hahaha! #TheLastCastle (2001) #MovieBuff #BingeWatching

[thedredshow1]

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#thelastcastle (at Crowbar)

[ahmetaygen]

Kale gibiyiz inşallah... #TheLastCastle

[ruffalumps]

[ruffalumps]