★★1/2
"Escape Plan" (2013) directed by Mikael Hafstom is a classic 80's style action flick, starring 2 iconic 80's actors; with a cliche double-cross thrown in to boot. I'm not saying the movie wasn't entertaining, but it was as about as complex a plot as a Nicholas Sparks' novel (no offense to those who love the sappiness of Nicholas Sparks).
Ray Breslin (Sylveter Stallone) is the go-to guy when it comes to the Bureau of Prisons needing to double check their maximum security facilities. He has written the bible for prison wardens' on fail-safes and strategy after having broken out of 17 or so prisons across the country. He is tasked to break out of a new "private funded" prison by CIA operative Jessica Miller (Caitriona Balfe) and his business Partner Lester Clark (Vincent D'Onofrio)--but this time is is to go "off the grid" with complete whereabouts unknown much to the chagrin of his security team, Abigail (Amy Ryan) and Hush (Curtis Jackson).
Once inside the prison (after numerous drug induced black-outs), Ray meets who will become his favor-man on the inside, Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger). With his help, Ray is able to formulate a plan of escape that will involve a conspiracy of many--including a cameo appearance by Sam Neill as Doctor Kyrie--to outsmart the nefarious Warden Hobbes (Jim Caviezel) and his masked police force lead by Drake (Vinnie Jones). I do not want to give too much of the plot away here--as this is truly meat of the movie! (pun intended...yes)
The original story (by Miles Chapman) and the accompanying screenplay written by both Chapman and Jason Keller (Mirror, Mirror) seems very anemic at times, and relies on the brute force, and dynamic screen presence, of both Stallone and Schwarzenegger to carry the entire concept forward. In fact, without these 2 in the movie, it would have been a complete bust. Their innate ability to play off of one another as heavy-weight contemporaries--works as well as it did in "The Expendables" and "The Expendables 2."
I did laugh at many parts of the movie, but I can safely say that there was not a single thing that happened that I had not already anticipated. That being said, does anyone really go to see a Stallone/Schwarzenegger movie with the hopes of seeing the next big Oscar winning film....I think not. Enjoy the brute force for what it is, a trip back down memory lane of classic 80's action pics.
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