Overrated

Nice effects though.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

This is an inmate loving movie, through and through. Oh the poor inmate- yet you don't realize that these individuals who are in a SUPER MAX, a lot of them in for life- have killed, raped, stabbed and harmed society to the point of not being trusted to not be locked in a cage to prevent more harm to law abiding citizens. Officers lives were lost. Today the average inmate watches the newest releases or playoff games on a Friday and Saturday night with popcorn and food- all the while the person that he/she harmed lives in fear for the day they are released. So glad this movie is about the huggable cuddly inmate that can do no wrong- except when he hurts your family, then you want justice right?

Not that this matters with regard to the quality of the movie but this was one of the first original movies made for HBO where they didn't have to sell their soul to a movie studio. Enough preaching, this is on the level of Shawshank. In my opinion better but different. Prison is hell for the guards and the inmates. Sometimes the inmates need to revolt and this movie does a good job taking a real situation and presents both sides of the story perfectly. You feel for the inmates, you feel for the guards. The problem is the system. The acting is great and this isn't a politically correct movie or a movie with a political agenda with the exception of an anti government theme. I would recommend this film to anybody with a sense of personal freedom or revolt against the system. I am surprised this isn't a cult movie on the lines of A Clockwork Orange.

This movie is about the truths of prison where guards and wardens turn their back to the prisoners needs and treat them like dirt and treat their fellow guards worse if they show pity. A riot breaks out and prisoners take over the yards holding the guards prisoner and they demand many changes and many rights in the prison system. Things like more than 1 shower a week, the right to wash clothes more, to have Spanish speaking guards and many other things. The outside world is taken in between wanting to kill the prisoners and the other half wanting to give them what they want because its fair.This was a really intense movie. I loved it and agreed with the prisoners and their motives, and disagreed big time with how the authorities handled it. When you do something wrong you are punished, but there is a limit to the punishment and prison is the punishment, you don't deserve any more punishment than that. This film touched on many subjects that occur in prison and it was done very well.John Frankenheimer is a great director and did so good here with this prison flick shot in Nashville. This movie was also chocked full of great actors Kyle Maclachlan, Samuel L. Jackson, Clarence Williams III, Danny Trejo, Tiny Lister, Harry Dean Staton, Peter Murnick, Anne Heche and so many more rounded out a great cast.I thought it was a good movie and anyone that likes prison movies should love it and if you HATE prison movies you should know that this movie takes place mostly in the yard and is almost like a war movie in many aspects...great film 5/10 stars

Legendary filmmaker John Frankenheimer made an impact as perhaps televisions greatest director in the 1990's (after directing several big-screen classics earlier in his career). With "Against the Wall" he shatters all our illusions about America. The United States really is the land of opportunities, but the government has also branded it's reputation with some ugly events through the years. The Attica riot of 1971 (or should I say "the Attica massacre") certainly is one of it's ugliest moments.This shocking dramatization shows us everything that's wrong with America in a way that almost sent me reaching for a vomit-bag in disbelief. A great job by Frankenheimer and it's actors, particularly worth mentioning: Kyle MacLachlan, Samuel L. Jackson, Frederic Forrest, Clarence Williams III, Harry Dean Stanton, a young Steve Harris (The Practice) and Danny Trejo.This really made me yearn for some American on-screen heroism. At times like these I'm sure glad I have the Die Hard-trilogy in my DVD-collection :)