Review of Papillon (2017) by Teddy F — 27 Aug 2018

Papillon is a gripping tale about man's will and endurance.

Headliners Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek both give strong performances whilst remaining inside their acting comfort zones. They were especially impressive in regard with how they worked together; it was interesting to watch their companionship blossom throughout the movie, beginning shaky but quickly becoming an unbreakable bond. However, despite how close they appeared at one time, I was still on edge when they were put in a tight spot because it felt either one of them could have turned on each other any moment. The atmosphere created by the production crew, specifically in the prison, was authentic and brutal; they truly created a hell on Earth. The score from David Buckley does a good job building on the emotion of scenes, especially towards the end where it plays a big role.

The only real criticism I have with the film is its length. There is one sequence where Hunnam finds himself in solitary confinement which I felt went on a little too long and could've been done differently, either shorter or more eventful. Otherwise I found myself very invested in the characters and story.

Since I have not seen the original I cannot compare the two versions, but I can say the newer release is very well crafted. I recommend this film to those who enjoy prison movies and those who liked last year's Lost City of Z (another period piece starring Hunnam).