Review of Midnight Express (1978) by Sam M — 11 Sep 2010
I am not the biggest fan of prison films (apart from the masterful Shawshank Redemption.) They all seem to be the same, do a crime, go to prison and then escape. Midnight Express is no exception to this.
The film is based on the true story of Billy Hayes who was sent to prison in Turkey for trying to smuggle drugs back to America. Billy gets caught at the airport and taken to prison, the story is very predictable from there, you seem to no what?s going to happen next which takes all sense of mystery and suspense out of the film. Billy suffers four years inside the torturous prison and is about to be released when his parole is denied. Billy gets angry and with persuasion from his other inmates he decides to catch the ?MIDNIGHT EXPRESS? (prison code for escape.).
Further on in the film after Billy?s failure to escape he is sent to another prison for the criminally insane, from there he goes on to escape. For me the film ended rather suddenly and I felt very unfulfilled and disappointed. Its a nice movie to watch but in the end its ?just another prison movie? and when watching it don?t be expecting anything different. The film is rated 18 with scenes of nudity and vivid violence!
Its worth a watch sometime but ?its nothing to write home about.? I am giving this film a 6 out of 10.
Sam Micel.
This review of Midnight Express (1978) was written by Sam M on 11 Sep 2010.
Midnight Express has generally received very positive reviews.
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