One of the best films i have seen

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

I am usually a big fan of prison movies, but not this one. It was too unrelentingly dark and depressing for my tastes. Even prison has uplifting moments. Between the bad sound, the unfamiliar slang and the strong accents, I often found it very difficult to make out exactly what was going on. The lead - Brian Cox - did a good job, but the main bad guy - Damian Lewis - was too clean-cut and just did not fit the part (although I love him in Homeland). The whole drug factory in prison making a non-existent drug just seemed silly to me. There is no way that one would have the privacy to go through all the steps that it took to make it. The premise of an experienced middle-aged convict breaking out of prison because his daughter is a junkie seemed stupid too. What would he be able to do about it when on the run from the police? A lot of people seem to like this film, but I am not one of them.

Don't waste your time on this movie. Complete dud. Very slow moving with no twists or action. For a prison movie this ranks at the bottom. Poorly planned escape. One of those movies that jumps around to different points in time. Characters are poorly introduced and you know nothing about them. No back stories, little information, unrealistic. Just a low budget poorly acted movie that tries to hard to be "artistic" or "deep" but fails. Decent story but done poorly and made boring.Maybe it plays better overseas and in the UK but any decent film student in HS could beat this movie. I've seen good UK movies before, but can only think of cultural differences on why anyone would like this movie. No action, no suspense, no drama, predictable plot

This film has a lot of things going for it: a good cast, especially Brian Cox, a striking visual sense and some well written dialogue. However, it is let down by a number of arbitrary and confusing elements which do not gel to make a satisfying whole.One gets the impression of the British prison system is entirely run by the inmates with the indifferent warders looking on. Sadly this may be a fairly accurate portrayal of a modern British prison (although the living conditions are far more comfy than depicted here thanks to 'human rights'). But the impression is that certain scenes have been created just because they look good rather than because they serve any dramatic function. There's a strange and unexplained initiation ceremony for scantily clad newcomers; the now obligatory prison rape; and the lengthy intercut (apparent) escape scenes add to the confusion, even though they are highly atmospheric.The black drug baron is particularly ludicrous. He has an assortment of potions to hand which would make Harry Potter jealous. He's able to concoct a poisonous 'cat' substitute somewhere in the prison (not sure where, I didn't think that laboratories were standard requirements yet) over night.The 'surprise' ending merely added more questions rather than explaining anything. The comparison made to the Dallas shower scene made elsewhere is very apt.

A thoroughly absorbing, gripping British film starring Brian Cox..not a household name like Ajax or Corn Flakes, but you'll recognise him from The Bourne Identity, Match Point…etc..and Joseph Fiennes; and plenty of the others in this cast, who have done lots of solid duty in countless British and American TV and films.. The Escapist is set in a prison, and is a salutary reminder that perhaps you shouldn't borrow more than is necessary from the Tennis Club Christmas Party fund, or carve up a senior bank executive however much encouragement you may receive, because you might end up in jail and if it's anything like the jail in The Escapist, woe betide ye. Brian Cox plays Frank, an old lag, who's in for life and is desperate to get out so he can see his beloved and estranged daughter, who is very ill. Frank with the aid of various fascinatingly shady pals, hatches a brilliant plan to escape through the sewers and tunnels of London, but will they even get out of the nick? It seems unlikely. There are so many evil characters within the jail conspiring to thwart anything they do, and the tension is properly cranked up. It's quite violent MA 15+. At one point, early on in the film I unpeeled a banana, and I was so gripped that when the DVD finished I was still holding half the banana, poised for a bite. Congratulations to all concerned.