![]() The image is cleaner and has a depth to it that other versions have not. This appears to be a brand-new transfer but couldn’t find any information on it. This transfer in every way is an upgrade to that one. This is definitely not the same transfer that Umbrella released in Australia a few years back. One that may surprise with its adroit combination of brutal action and sly deft humor. No Escape is truly an underseen sci-fi action Classic. Be it the Raiders-style fight between Robbins and Marek’s Director of Activities in the Pool, or Marek’s happily caroling before a raid No Escape makes sure to make you laugh as its bludgeons you. The action scenes are fast, brutal, character-based, and best of all with a huge dollop of wit and dark humor. Martin Campbell’s direction along with his one-two combo of – and career-long collaborators – editor Terry Rawlings and Cinematographer Phil Meheux elevate No Escape’s action and visual style to an Epic Braveheart by way of Mad Max on a budget level. Much more than some of the films of the era of similar style and genre. All elevate the film with roles that are – yes, archetypes – but written and performed with a sense of intelligence and care. This makes no mention of great supporting turns by Lance Henriksen, Ernie Hudson, Kevin Dillon, Kevin J O’Connor, and Michael Lerner. So much so, Wilson would end up working as a villain throughout the decade and beyond. Wilson quickly endears himself as one of the better villains the 90s had to offer within his opening moments of the film. Marek isn’t just the perfect foil to Liotta’s Robbins. The film is good but it’s even better when Wilson is chewing scenery taking the proverbial piss out of everything. The way that Marek approaches both leading his gang and convincing someone to join it with the sort of ruthlessness with a smile is one of the funnier notions No Escape has. The script and Wilson give Marek the attitude of a Hotel Director – he even admits as much – by way of a serial killer. There’s an inherent charm and charisma about him like the Tasmanian devil let loose in an otherwise by-the-numbers sci-fi actioner. The true gift here is Stuart Wilson as Warlord of the Prison Island Gang Marek. Liotta makes a meal out of it, imbuing every decision based on this, giving us a full performance rather than a perfunctory ACTION HERO delivery. Robbins is damaged, saddled with PSTD over atrocities he committed which could have been a cliché in another star’s less capable hands. There’s a sense of true danger behind everything Liotta’s Robbins does that few of the “action heroes” at the time could pull off. After you watch No Escape, the question isn’t if he could pull it off but why didn’t they cast him more in this type of role. The concept of Ray Liotta as an action star was novel until you watch this film. Forcing all to do battle – both physical and of the wills – that Robbins plans to use to escape this prison. Robbins’ arrival and eventual escape from Marek’s gang leads to an all-out war on the island and concerns for the Warden’s experiment (it isn’t entirely legal). The others called the Insiders led by the Father (Lance Henriksen) have built a peaceful group of socialists all striving for better and more. Marek (Stuart Wilson) runs the vicious gang called the Outsiders hellbent on controlling everything. Robbins is dropped – literally by helicopter – off on the Island of Absolom.Ībsolom is the Warden’s experiment – a place where the worst or best prisoners are sent to fend for themselves. Rather than a battle of wills, the Warden sees an opportunity. ![]() Under the guise of a psychopathic Warden (Michael Lerner), Robbins tests and pushes against the Warden. Set in the year 2022, Prisoner and Ex-Marine John Robbins (Ray Liotta) after killing his superior and escape attempts multiple times has been sent to a Level 6 Super Max (6 is the highest they go). ![]() No Escape was one of my Special Editions. Then when a film he loved he’d dub it off of a Laserdisc rental and then he’d comb his VHS tapes to find interviews and Making-of and place them all on one tape … maybe two if the film was longer. Lil Adam used to record Trailers off of an E! Channel Show (back when they weren’t a gossip reality shill) and Making-of off of HBO and Showtime, appearances of Actors on Leno and Letter or Charlie Rose. ![]() Well, you have to go back to 1994 and how Lil Adam used to make his own special editions of films… on VHS.
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