The Escapist 2008

Ben Lyons, At the Movies: This is down and dirty and raw. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: Shapes a standard prison-break drama into a metaphysical study of freedom and reparation. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: Too much of this movie about prison feels only like a movie about prison, with actors posing and directors getting poetic. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: The splintered viewpoints help with the monotony, but from the taunting of new inmates to the cell-block sadist, we've gone through all this before, right down to the final twists. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: The prison escape movie -- a tired genre -- gets some fresh energy in The Escapist, a compelling, carefully written and totally gripping film from the U.K. that is acted with naturalism and conviction by a smashing cast. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Read more

Robert Koehler, Variety: [Star Brian] Cox calmly registers ranges of steely determination, fatherly care and regret-filled sadness with great authority. Read more

Jean Oppenheimer, Village Voice: A taut thriller that ends on a note of unexpected grace, the British prison drama The Escapist marks the impressive feature debut for director/co-writer Rupert Wyatt. Read more