Review of The Shawshank Redemption (1994) by Ethan P — 24 Jul 2016

The Shawshank Redemption is a thoughtful, steadfast stare that lingers in between the shadows and sad silences of the stark prison world that this story manifests itself in. It is a stirring, awesome film that deserves its place as a landmark in contemporary American cinema. The story is a thrilling tale of escape and an intricate meditation on life and imprisonment that balances its dark circumstances and violence with its gentler moments and uplifting ending. It isn't entirely unpredictable, but it steadily hints and builds on one little clever idea after another to a gripping conclusion. It also has an incredible aesthetic. The prison is a grim, grand building filled with dust, iron and dark rooms that create a gritty atmosphere, populated with grimacing characters in bland, period uniforms. It's characters curse and threaten, collude and abuse each other. Andy is thrown into a dangerous, dreary world and he slowly chisels his way out of it.

Somehow it manages to feel grim and intense, but at the same time serene and deliberate. Within the prison walls, there are rapes, beatings, murders, suicides, but between them there are quiet moments of thought and deliberation. Andy brings a sense of humanity to this ugly, brutal place. He brings life into a place that's almost lifeless, where its occupants have largely lost what made them people. He builds a library and plays classical music for the prisoners, teaches many of them how to read and write. He creates meaningful friendships and cooperates with the guards, while at the same time he is undermining the prison in the slow, careful pursuit of his elaborate escape. He is a rich, rewarding character and he has an immaculate supporting cast. Morgan Freeman, the old man, the sergeant and the warden are all awesome characters that add depth to the film.

One of the most powerful things about the film is its statement on life. Andy is a powerful symbol of humanity and resiliency, but one of the scariest realizations is the point the film makes about men that have spent their entire adult lives in prison and don't know how to function in society. Brooks is so disturbed by the thought of leaving that he almost kills his friend and eventually kills himself. This idea serves as a powerful examination on prison life and the toll it takes on a person. The prison warden offers even more insight into the defects of prison life. He abuses his absolute, unsupervised power and it completely corrupts him.