Review of Dead Man Walking (1995) by Chéri Elaine P — 08 Aug 2011

I don't understand how anyone would think that this film is for or against the death penalty when Robbins puts such effort into being objective. In the end I think that is the unique thing about this film.

Robbins does his best to keep this stage play visual. Background stories are cut into the film. The staging and Camera direction is activ and engaging. Deakins lights each scene very naturally. I think that the film does a really great job of building both arguments for and against the death penalty. and Penn adn Surandon dance gracefully around becoming cliches. The plotting of the film is pretty inventive considering the subject matter. It still lags at moments but overall its a very powerful movie.