Rent The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

One of top films ever. - The Shawshank Redemption review by NC

This film is at top of so many review lists. Mostly by the public/viewers, not the trade. So well acted and directed and edited, with great story line that makes sense. No weak links. Everyone seemed to know they had to match what was going on...........

4K mastering a little disappointing. An archetypal prison movie but not but not first.. - The Shawshank Redemption review by MM

I had never seen this film before so was keen to see it in a 4K master. The transfer is a little disappointing and I wonder if that would really be much to see in terms of improvements in quality over standard Blu-ray. The film detail was fuzzy and lacked definition..

The film itself Seems to be the archetypal prison movie. Well I can appreciate that in its day it was probably groundbreaking by today’s standards The film less so. The film of innocent man going to prison and through a series of ordeals becomes a different man has been well trodden and maybe this film is the grandfather of all of those films but it followed a parcel already trodden by films like Cool hand Luke . you can virtually protect every plot point in the story and maybe that that’s because it’s been copied by everyone else. I think however the subject matter has been finally polished by subsequent movies and done a little better. I did find it very engrossing And it held my  attention. Are usually watch all the extras as I often find them very interesting. This film had an audio commentary but I didn’t listen to it. Hope that’s because I didn’t want to watch the movie a second time and was not that interested in it. For that reason I give this film four points. I certainly wouldn’t put this in a list of the best films of all time And scratch my head towards the way it has such a reverential status.

Overrated? - The Shawshank Redemption review by JD

Does anyone actually rate this as there fav film ever? Possibly not. And when watched the whole plot is extremely fantastical.

And of course, how does it stack upto modern expectations? Yeh, it lacks a lot of what movie makers think a modern movie should be.

But it has to be said, this is a text book example of how to make an entertaining film. Its an utter masterpiece that will be revered in 50 years as it was 20 years ago, or today.

Its flaws are obvious, but they are compromises on the trip to brilliance. Without the compromises the film wouldn't be as great as it is.

I dont often give out 5 stars, and yes, this is not my fav film or possibly even in my top 5. But id never argue this films position at the top of most list.

Superb Prison Drama. It Deserves It's fanbase - The Shawshank Redemption review by GI

Considering it's seven Oscar nominations and that it appears on many peoples favourite films lists it's still a surprise that this was a box office failure. A film that only gained a huge fanbase once it was released for video and it continues to be enjoyed today and has been heralded as one of the greatest of modern movies. A prison drama that has a fantastic authenticity in every small detail and a tale of friendship and regrets. Tim Robbins plays Andy, an intelligent banker convicted in 1947 of the murder of his wife and her lover, he steadfastly denies his guilt but receives two life sentences and is sent to Shawshank Prison in Maine. Despite the harsh regime and routinely being raped Andy soon finds a routine and becomes friendly with 'Red' (Morgan Freeman), who has already served 20 years of a life sentence. Through Andy's quiet demeanour and intelligence he begins to have an affect on prison life not least by helping the guards with their financial and tax issues. Eventually Warden Norton (Bob Gunton), a bible thumping disciplinarian, has Andy become bookkeeper for his corrupt dealings with local businessmen. But all the time Andy has been making his own plans. The great thing about this film is that it has the usual plot developments you'd expect but always goes further with them in some surprising ways. It leaves lots of interesting questions including is Andy innocent of his crimes or not? Ultimately it's a film about two friends and a condemnation of a system that was brutal and inhuman. The memorable scenes are not always the major ones either; for instance the scene when Andy locks himself in the warden's office and plays opera through the prison PA is a very moving one. Bob Gunton as Norton is one of the great screen villains, a subtle sadistic character and often forgotten when discussing this film. This is definitely a fantastic film and it's probably time you watched it again and if by some remote chance you've never seen it then it is one I guarantee you will love.