NO ESCAPE
US, 1994, 118 minutes, Colour.
Ray Liotta, Lance Henricksen, Stuart Wilson, Kevin Dillon, Kevin J. O’ Connor, Don Henderson, Ian Mac Neice, Jack Shepherd, Michael Lerner, Ernie Hudson, Russell Kiefel, David Argue.
Directed by Martin Campbell.
No Escape was filmed in Australia (with costumes by Mad Max designer, Norma Moriceau). In fact, it is a screenplay derived from the Mad Max stories and ethos.
Like Fortress and other films about futuristic prisons, this one is set in the near but distant future, an isolated prison where hardened criminals are sent from all around the world. If they cause trouble, the warden (a sadistic Michael Lerner) exiles them to an island called Absolom from which there is no escape. On the island, there are the Outsiders, a brutal group of convicts led by Stuart Wilson. There is also a small group who are trying to build a civilisation, under a hundred of them, called the Insiders, led by Lance Henriksen who is called the Father.
The film focuses on Ray Liotta as a military man who disobeyed orders, killed his commanding officer and has been sentenced to this prison. He is determined to escape, gets through all the obstacles set up by the Outsiders and joins the Insiders, defending them in the various attacks from their enemies. Ultimately, using intelligence and strength, he is able to effect an escape.
The part suits Ray Liotta well, strong and surly. Stuart Wilson decides to ham things up sardonically as a contrast to the very solemn Lance Henriksen. There is a good part for Kevin Dillon as a young criminal who wants to follow Liotta’s example.
The film has quite a number of Australian character actors in small supporting roles.
The film was directed by Martin Campbell, a New Zealander who made a great impact in British television especially with his series Edge of Darkness. He moved to the United States and made a number of action films, including James Bond films, the two Zorro films, Vertical Limit – and directed Casino Royale, the first James Bond film with Daniel Craig.
1.The impact of this kind of film? Macho? Prisons of the future? Savage communities? The drive to escape?
2.The title, the fatalistic approach? The attitude of the warden and his staff? The Outsiders? The Insiders resigned to their fate?
3.The futuristic settings, the prison itself, the monorail to the prison? The facilities? The contrast with Absolom? The mediaeval-style buildings, clothes and ways of coping (with modern weapons)? The community of the Insiders, with technology but building up as in a mediaeval village?
4.Crime in the future, international prisons, hardened criminals? The sadism of those in charge? The technological prison? Satellite information? The isolation of the island?
5.Robbins, his arrival on the island? Ray Liotta’s presence and style? His crime, taciturn? Confrontation with the warden? His entry into the prison, with the inmates, their lifestyle? His friendship with the young man, the discussion, the plight of the cellmate, his fears? The warden forcing him to lash the cellmate? His refusal – holding the warden to ransom with the stun gun? His being overpowered? Sent to Absolom?
6.His landing on Absolom, the Outsiders, Marek and his sardonic attitude? The confrontations, Robbins defeating the big guard in the fight, in the water? The discussions – and the veneer of civilisation, his effecting his escape, getting through all the brutal hurdles, his pursuers killed? Diving into the water?
7.The Insiders and their village, the father (and the background of his murdering his wife)? His benign leadership? Hawkins as his second-in-charge? The other officials? King and his initiating Robbins into the life of the island? Dysart and his background of the bomb, the deaths, his working on the technology?
8.Life in the village, the resourcefulness of the group? What they had built, the civilisation? The guards against the Outsiders? The sentry who fell asleep and was exiled? Harshness for survival? Yet civilisation within the group? Robbins and his discussions with Father, his respect for him?
9.Casey, the young man, the background of his being part of an abduction crime, the getaway driver? His sentence? Age, experience, admiring Robbins? Trying to emulate him?
10.The attack from the Outsiders, the violence – like the siege of a mediaeval fort and village? The defeat of the Outsiders?
11.Robbins, his expertise in leadership? His escape in order to confront Marek, Casey following him, being captured, their fight to the death and Casey giving his life for the others? Robbins’ return?
12.The build-up to the final confrontation? The possibilities of escape? Finding that King was the traitor?
13.The warden, the satellite supervision, wanting to conceal any disturbance? The fire set by Robbins? Sending of the helicopter, King being persuaded to give false information? Robbins and the takeover of the helicopter, leaving Hawkins in charge? Father and his fight with Marek and his death?
14.Robbins’ escape, giving information to the outside world, to abolish Absolom?
15.An interesting adventure, action, the development of character, themes of community and leadership?
