Fans of action / adventure films have long appreciated the roles played by Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now, for the first time, these two actors are sharing the spotlight equally in the movie Escape Plan.
Stallone is first to make his appearance taking on the role of Ray Breslin, whose expertise lies in the ability to break out of maximum-security prisons. While he’s made his living testing these various locations, Breslin has no idea what he’s about to take on. The character is hired to be placed in a top-secret CIA facility. His job is to successfully escape the penitentiary from which he is told that “No one can escape.”
Schwarzenegger plays Emil Rottmayer, an inmate of the CIA prison. When Arnold first appears you see a close-up of his eyes, and some of us 80s throwbacks expect “I’ll Be Back” to be the first words spoken. However, in this role Schwarzenegger speaks both English and fluent German, which is a change for his fans. His character has knowledge on how to assist in unlocking secrets of the prison, and as the film progresses he must learn to work with Stallone if they ever want to get out alive.
The plot unfolds in typical prison movie fashion. It’s a place where no laws exist. There is plenty of brutality and violence, and the word “corruption” is it’s the facility’s middle name. Shortly into the film, Stallone realizes that he’s actually been set up and his fears of being a prisoner forever come crashing into him. Although the two characters don’t really like one another, they enlist one another’s help, and endure intense physical and mental abuse in order to create a successful escape plan from this horrific place.
In the official Escape Plan movie interview, the actors discussed how they would try to steal the scene’s spotlight from each other. And in doing so they felt that they pushed one another harder which made a more successful movie for their fans. Supporting actors in the film include: Jim Caviezel, who plays the warden, Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays Breslin’s business partner, and Amy Ryan, who plays Breslin’s friend outside the prison walls.
Stallone and Schwarzenegger complement one another well on screen. Some of the 80s action hero personalities shine through as well, which adds to the entertainment factor. Arnold seems to always be the fighting bull charging through adversity, while Sylvester pushes through his pain in an effort to achieve his goals.
Escape Plan is rated R and would not be appropriate for children under the age of 17. The movie takes place in a prison environment and includes scenes with violent fighting, bloody injuries and inmates being tortured by the prison guards. It also includes some sexual references and frequent use of strong language.
This movie delivers what you’d expect from Stallone and Schwarzenegger. If you are a true fan of action / adventure movies, you should enjoy this film as well.