The Last Castle

I really liked this movie. As far as prison movies go it was definitly up there with The Rock and Shawshank Redemption. Generally same plot as all prison movies, Good v. Evil but carried off very well.

Redford plays an Army General sent to a militay prison stripped of his rank and responsibilities, but apparently still always the true leader he soon takes charge.

The compelling actor, at least for me was the Warden of the prison. This was played by James Gandolfini, or Tony Soprano, as most everyone knows. Now there are a lot of levels to this character that starts off really being in awe and admiration of his new prisoner. This all ends with one statement that Tony takes the wrong way, and then the game is on from there.

The thing I like about movie wardens is that they are all insecure, but in different ways. Take Donald Sutherland, as the mean warden of Lock Up. He was just creepy, but very insecure. Or the warden from Shawshank Redemption, who was just a brutal man that liked wielding power. In comparison, the warden in Green Mile was kind of spineless, but one may attribute that to his wife dying and him being worried. Tony's Warden is very insecure. It turns into a pissing contest to see who is the bigger man. Tony makes the mistake that society in general is supposed to make. That the people in charge are more respectable than those under their care. This is untrue in this movie's reality. In real life, who knows?

Go see it, it is a nice enjoyable movie.