Seemingly forgotten, Martin Campbell’s No Escape from 1994 offers up dystopian thrills on a medium-sized budget. Prescient in its discussion of private prisons, the film also seems like a bit of a throwback, taking inspiration from ‘80s action films and ‘70s exploitation fare. Seeing as how it’s celebrating its 30th anniversary on April 29th, I thought I’d take a look back!
In the far-off future of 2022, Captain JT Robbins (haunted tough guy Ray Liotta) is condemned to the worst prison on the planet for murdering his superior officer and subsequently escaping from two different penitentiaries. After a futuristic train ride through a rather grim-looking desert, he arrives at the facility, which presents more like a hulking spaceship. Have I mentioned it’s the future? Almost immediately after he arrives, he pisses off the CEO (veteran character actor Michael Lerner) and is sent to an island where supposedly only the worst of the worst are sent.
He soon finds that the population is divided into two warring factions, the Insiders, led by Father (noble and wizened Lance Henriksen), and the much larger Outsiders, led by Marek (cartoonishly unhinged Stuart Wilson). The Outsiders embrace savagery and regularly stage raids on the Insiders, who are trying to maintain a functioning society. Imagine LORD OF THE FLIES, except instead of a conch shell, there’s a rocket launcher. In any case, Robbins just wants to escape, but he reluctantly helps the Insiders as it offers him his best shot at getting off the island. Several other familiar faces show up, including Kevin Dillon as a wide-eyed young man impressed with Robbins’ capabilities, Ernie Hudson as Father’s right-hand man, Kevin J O’Connor as the island’s wily businessman, and Ian McNeice as the Insiders’ prissy head of orientation.
Performances are fine, for this type of film. Liotta capably carries the film, but it’s Wilson and his scene-chewing antics that make for the most fun. Henriksen admirably puts in subdued work, amplifying both Liotta and Wilson’s efforts. The costumes are nicely done, with the Outsiders rocking post-apocalyptic jungle gear and the Insiders opting for more refined, but still primitive, ponchos and armor.
The true stars, as far as production values go, are the sets and locations, though. The abandoned resort where the Outsiders reside does a great job of making what was once welcoming look sinister. The Insiders’ village looks realistically hand-built and hardscrabble. Shot by Phil Meheux around the wilds of Australia, he ensures the jungle that surrounds everything is both beautiful and forbidding. This emphasis on the details of the background makes for an immersive experience, even though the mood is more aligned with a heightened genre experience.
Stunts and effects work also help in this regard, with the highlights being a full-body burn and an impressive leap off of a towering cliff into a river. There’s some light CGI that’s a bit dodgy at this point, but the film leans heavily into the practical work. Violent and somewhat gory, the film’s grim atmosphere makes it seem more graphic than it actually is. The always welcome Graeme Revell provides an epic if slightly melancholy, score.
Though I’d say that the pacing could be tightened up by losing about ten to twelve minutes, Martin Campbell’s NO ESCAPE is still a bit of a hidden gem. Genre aficionados will definitely recognize certain elements, but the production values are so high and the performers so game that you probably won’t care. Recommended for fans of Escape from New York, Mad Max 2, and The Running Man.
Michael Cavender