Review of The Escapist

Within the sickly yellow walls of a nameless prison we come upon the face of Frank Perry (Brian Cox). He is a lifer, in for the full stretch. In the autumn of his years he is a nobody, a quiet reserved convict who keeps himself to himself. Yet, on one fateful day, his first letter in 14 years arrives to tell him that his daughter is a washed up drug addict, dangerously close to death. It is here that everything changes - Perry's mind is made up, he must escape. Assembling a rag-tag band of like-minded inmates he hatches his plans and enacts his getaway.

The plot of The Escapist runs along a complex, but deftly executed, split narrative. With Perry's ruminations in prison intercut with scenes of the five escapees traversing London's subterranean depths. The two locales are separated by a vivid distinction of colour and shooting style. On one side there is the regimented lock-up, lit in queasy oranges and muted greys, and on the other the underground escape route, deep and dark, but full of movement and energy.

The film as a whole is a remarkable technical achievement, orchestrated by first time director Rupert Wyatt. Shot in only 25 days, the quality of lighting, camerawork and acting is first rate. Cox in particular lives up to his billing with a enormously expressive performance. Many scenes feature little or no dialogue, but Cox's facial twitches and forlorn glances portray more than could ever be captured with words. The supporting cast may not quite match up to their leading man, but the likes of Joseph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper and Seu Jorge all put in commendable performances.

Despite the surfeit of quality on show during filming, it would be in post production that the most remarkable and beautiful piece of the puzzle would fall into place. It was the director's intention to leave the film largely devoid of music. He felt that a music track might pull the film away from a sense of gritty reality. In the end, however, he decided that musical accompaniment would work well to enhance the mood in certain scenes.

What resulted must be one of the finest film scores ever produced. From the moment the picture begins, the morose tones of Leonard Cohen's 'The Partizan' convey a dual sense of despair and adventure that visuals alone could not capture. From thereon in, until Cohen's tune returns in the final minutes, we are in the hands of composer Benjamin Wallfisch. As the seeds of an escape begin to gestate in Perry's mind we hear glimpses of Wallfisch's towering main theme, fronted by a cello line that is both sinister and exciting all at once.

Equally deserving of credit are the director and his sound design team. Even without the fantastic score, the ticks, groans, taps, and roars that pock the film's auditory landscape add a fascinating dimension to proceedings. Music and sound effects are also masterfully interweaved, both with each other and with the visuals. At times the line between the two becomes so blurred it is difficult to tell where the music ends and pure sound begins.

The Escapist is well directed, shot, and features an exemplary lead performance from Brian Cox. It consummately weaves a complex structure towards a brave and delightful climax. However, what transforms it from good to great is the fantastic noise and perfectly pitched score that, overlaid so perfectly, make The Escapist one of the finest British films of recent times.

Written by Joseph Ewens...

Extras

A short but interesting 'Making Of' is joined by an even shorter and slightly less interesting 'Behind the Scenes'. The highlight of these extras is the audio commentary by Dominic Cooper, who plays Lacey in the film, and the director Rupert Wyatt. The two are thoughtful and interesting, offering up a fair selection of insights into the production. Certainly worth a listen for anyone interesting in the film. Ignore the pointless Theatrical Trailer and Storyboard comparison.