No Escape (1994)

Director:

Martin Campbell

Writers (WGA):

Richard Herley (novel)
Michael Gaylin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 April 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

No guards. No walls. No escape.

Plot:

Robbins is sent to prison for the assassination of his general officer, a prison you only get out of when you die...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Island | Escape | Imprisonment | All Male Cast

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ray Liotta	...	Capt. J.T. Robbins
Lance Henriksen	...	The Father
Stuart Wilson	...	Walter Marek
Kevin Dillon	...	Casey
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Stephano
Don Henderson	...	Killian
Ian McNeice	...	King
Jack Shepherd	...	Dysart
Michael Lerner	...	The Warden
Ernie Hudson	...	Hawkins
Russell Kiefel	...	Iceman
Brian M. Logan	...	Scab
Cheuk-Fai Chan	...	Skull
Machs Colombani	...	Ratman
David Argue	...	Cellmate

Also Known As:

Escape from Absolom (Australia)
The Penal Colony (USA) (working title)
The Prison Colony (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

118 min | South Korea:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | South Korea:15 (cut) | Argentina:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

There are strong similarities between the plot of this film and that Robert A. Heinlein's short story "Coventry". Both feature a protagonist who is a convict sent to a futuristic penal system which is actually a wilderness outland whose inhabitants have split off into two warring social factions. In the movie, the hero befriends a character known as The Father; in the short story, the protagonist befriends a man named Fader, which resembles the Dutch word "vader", which means "father".

Quotes:

The Father: You've got a terrible case of "nobody tells me what to do".

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kicking and Screaming (1995)

Soundtrack:

SON OF A PREACHER MAN

very good sci-fi adventure movie

This is not a perfect movie but I'd rate it 9/10. It is a very good sci-fi adventure movie which is different from other movies at the time (1994). It has the look and feel of a Planet of the Apes - at times it is a bit silly and too violent/sadistic but it usually makes sense. The main character is someone who would usually be played by Van Damme. Anyway, there is a freshness and an excitement in this movie which is really all the genre needs. If only there were more movies of this type. I guess, it's like this typical pulp-sci-fi thriller. The effects are not very impressive but it has a kind of post-80s look to it. This was before CGI became normal. I think this movie is going to prove especially satisfying to fans of adventure movies such as "Conan" and to sci-fi fans who likes movies such as "Planet of the Apes". Of course, it is also a prison-break movie, however, I don't think that is what the movie is really about.