BREAKOUT

US, 2013, 89 minutes, Colour.
Brendan Fraser, Dominic Purcell, Ethan Suplee.
Directed by Damian Lee.

Breakout was produced by its star, Brendan Fraser. He features as an environmentalist, neglecting his family in his protests, involved in a fight with a logger which results in the death of the logger and the hero going to prison. Years pass, his wife, who is his lawyer, leaves him and his now teenage daughter to whom he was devoted has her own problems.

In the meantime, two brothers one who has been in prison, the other in a mental institution, drive north to make a new life for themselves. They are played by Dominic Purcell and Ethan Suplee, the latter playing the mentally handicapped man. At the same time, a friend of the hero takes the two children camping and are present when the ex-prisoner shoots the man who is renting him the house. The rest of the film is a pursuit in the woods.

The film does not really go anywhere with the environmentalist process and protest, the company having a change of heart over many years and offering the hero a job in advising them. He is to be released from prison. The film then focuses on his breakout and his relationship with his children and the hunt.

1. The blend of environmental themes, family themes, chase thriller in the wilderness?


2. The forest settings, for logging and protests? For camping and holidays? For dangerous pursuit?

3. The title, appropriate, to Jack’s behaviour? His motivation?

4. The environmental themes: Jack, his protests, the groups, the businessman, the challenges? The fight, the man falling and hitting his head on a stone?

5. Jack in prison, writing to his daughter, the years passing? His work in the forest as a prisoner? His attempts to make contact with his family?

6. His wife, estranged, but his lawyer? The proposal that he worked for the company? Their alleged change of heart? His considering it? Accepting it?

7. The story with Tom and Kenny, Tom in prison, Kenny in an institution, the accident? His devotion to their mother? Tom severity in judging their mother? The driving north, going to Canada, the house, settling in, fishing? Fiona, the owner, the clash of interests, Tom and his brutality, the man and his fears, is being shot?

8. The family, Chuck and his helping with the children, and the going to the river, fishing, the kayaks, hearing the shot? The confrontation, the brutality towards Chuck, is urging the children to run, his being killed by Kenny? The children and their fears, hiding in the tree, eluding Tom?

9. Jack, his wife ringing him, the news, escaping from the work force, trying to find the children, Tom firing at him? The children, on the kayak, the shot and the leak, their being in the water? The further pursuits?

10. Kenny, the phone, thinking it was his mother, talking to the mother, her concern, finding Alison, the different aspects of the pursuit, Kenny and his concern, the fight with Chuck and his death?

11. The shootings, the final confrontations, Jack and his recovery, Tom’s death?

12. Bonding experience for Jack with his children?