Brutal Dudes Behind Bars Stallone actioner fairs pretty well considering the familiar ground it treads on. The plot is pretty much stolen from all those 70s hot-chicks-battle-sadistic-warden flicks, but given a male reversal in a pretty watchable way.
The first thing required of the viewer is just to go with the implausible set-up, wherein Stallone is SOMEHOW given clearance to transfer to another prison despite nearing his release date. This is all so his wronged former warden Sutherland can put him through a hellish endurance test before he becomes a free man (how it wouldn't be obvious to the system that evil Donald is out for retribution is the first thing to relinquish in your mind). You get your stock recruit of jail types, such as the motormouthed buddy, the foolish kid, the teddy bear black guy, etc. Though a real surprise is that racism is never spouted for a moment by any character, especially Landham's snarling yard thug. He restricts his comments to the homosexual variety.
It's all an odd mix of light-hearted pathos (Stallone has never been more likable) which will segway into unrestrained violence (electricutions, stabbings, beatings), and even time for an 80s musical number centered around a cherry '65 Mustang. It must be said, however, that that scene runs far too long into a beyond-cheesy and awkward male-bonding level. In Stallone's corner are a pair of fed-up guards (John Amos, as always, is a force) who do what they can to restrict Sutherland's sadistic orders. And though a well-treaded storyline, writers Smith, Stuart, and Rosenbaum pay-off their set-ups in perfect fashion, never leaving any unexplored.
Some interesting casting choices, as Sutherland's understated tormentor is played to an effective level, a young Tom Sizemore grates at first but ultimately settles in, and some unsung notice to Jordan Lund as a truly scumbaggy prison guard. He captures your usual balding, pudgy henchman with a little extra relish to make you despise him even more. Though Sutherland is a howl during the final confrontation while being subjected to a certain prison device staple.
"Lock Up" was the other good-guy-against-the-odds-while-incarcerated film of 1989 along with Tom Selleck's "An Innocent Man", but in terms of what you'd expect of a Stallone popcorn muncher, it should deliver for you.
The first thing required of the viewer is just to go with the implausible set-up, wherein Stallone is SOMEHOW given clearance to transfer to another prison despite nearing his release date. This is all so his wronged former warden Sutherland can put him through a hellish endurance test before he becomes a free man (how it wouldn't be obvious to the system that evil Donald is out for retribution is the first thing to relinquish in your mind). You get your stock recruit of jail types, such as the motormouthed buddy, the foolish kid, the teddy bear black guy, etc. Though a real surprise is that racism is never spouted for a moment by any character, especially Landham's snarling yard thug. He restricts his comments to the homosexual variety.
It's all an odd mix of light-hearted pathos (Stallone has never been more likable) which will segway into unrestrained violence (electricutions, stabbings, beatings), and even time for an 80s musical number centered around a cherry '65 Mustang. It must be said, however, that that scene runs far too long into a beyond-cheesy and awkward male-bonding level. In Stallone's corner are a pair of fed-up guards (John Amos, as always, is a force) who do what they can to restrict Sutherland's sadistic orders. And though a well-treaded storyline, writers Smith, Stuart, and Rosenbaum pay-off their set-ups in perfect fashion, never leaving any unexplored.
Some interesting casting choices, as Sutherland's understated tormentor is played to an effective level, a young Tom Sizemore grates at first but ultimately settles in, and some unsung notice to Jordan Lund as a truly scumbaggy prison guard. He captures your usual balding, pudgy henchman with a little extra relish to make you despise him even more. Though Sutherland is a howl during the final confrontation while being subjected to a certain prison device staple.
"Lock Up" was the other good-guy-against-the-odds-while-incarcerated film of 1989 along with Tom Selleck's "An Innocent Man", but in terms of what you'd expect of a Stallone popcorn muncher, it should deliver for you.