The Shawshank Redemption film review

Shawshank redemption is a spectacular movie full of excitement and it contains many dramatic scenes which have a very large impact on the atmosphere and the audience. The film is truly amazing as it will make you think about the geniuses that made the story. It will definitely leave you wanting to see it again and again.

The story starts in court as Andy Duphrane, an ex-banker who is being convicted of killing his wife and her lover is being sentenced to two life sentences in prison. Andy did have a gun which was loaded but he was too drunk to go through with it, he ended up throwing the gun into the river which was strangely never to be found. Andy is then sent to Shawshank Prison which is full of innocent people just like him.

He arrives at Shawshank prison where he meets Red. Red is a regretful murderer who is constantly being rejected for parole. Red can get you anything, if you want a packet of cigarettes he can get you them within a day. Andy and Red become friends rather quickly as Andy asks Red if he could get him a rock hammer, but what will this rock hammer be used for?

Shawshank prison however is corrupt and is full of unnecessary violence and horror. If a prisoner does not obey the rules they will have their lives beaten out of them by Warden Norton’s chief of security. Andy experiences violence but it is not from the guards, this time it’s from the other prisoners. “The Sisters” a bunch of homosexual men take a liking to Andy, however Andy does not want to co-operate so they make his first two years at the prison a living hell by savagely beating him. This makes you feel for Andy as he is a wrongly convicted murderer willing to do his time in prison but it is not getting any easier with people beating him. This movie is a perfect example of highlighting what really goes on in prisons.

The warden (not a very friendly man) takes advantage of Andy being an ex banker and asks him if he could give him financial advice. Andy doesn’t stop there; he decides to write letters to the government about getting some more books for the library in Shawshank Prison. Eventually the government give up because the endless sending of the letters requesting books and end up giving him thousands which fill up the library. This is an amazing part of the film as it shows us that Andy is trying to help people that may have never picked up a book in their lives.

There are many parts of the movie that has an affect on the audience is when Brooks Hatlen (the librarian) is being let out into society again. Although this seems like a good thing it isn’t for prisoners that have been stuck in prison for most of their lives as they find it very hard to adapt to the outside world. Brooks experiences this and ends up hanging himself. We feel for Brooks as he is quite an innocent character and to see someone commit suicide because they cannot cope anymore is very disturbing and shows us how hard it must be for people in prison to cope.

Red finally gains his parole. After making all of those trips and being denied his releasing from the prison, red shoes his frustration telling the truth and speaking from the heart and it finally pays off as he is set free. If there is a lesson to be learnt it is that you should always tell the truth.

Moments in the movie the play makes you think how valuable things actually are. An example of this in the movie is when Andy locks himself in the warden’s room, the prisoners had not heard music for a long time so Andy had put some music on and played aloud to the yard in the prison, all the prisoners then still remembering what life used to be like and also made them feel a sense of freedom. Andy goes against Warden Norton’s wishes by putting it even louder, Andy still does it knowing well that he is going to get severely punished. This is a touching part of the movie as it shows us that the things we take for granted which are missed a lot by people that have not been let into society for a long time.

Although the movie is very good there is only one negative thing about and this is that the ending seems to quick. The movie focuses on the build up to the ending rather than the amazing twist of an ending itself. This makes you think whether the movie was rushed.

This movie could not have been the same without the breathtaking performances by all the characters within the film. Tim Robbins (Andy), Morgan Freeman (Red) and James Whitmore (Brooks) show exceptional acting skills bringing out the emotions and letting the audience feel what they are going through within the play. The voiceover which is spoken by Morgan Freeman is also very effective as it helps us to relate to the characters and understand the story more. My favourite character has to be brooks because he brings out emotions very well and makes us feel a sense of protection for him.

Overall this movie is fantastic and is perfect for people that like a little action and a twist. This is a truly memorable one and will make you want to watch it over and over. It shows the audience that you should always have hope and that you should never give up, this is a lesson which should truly be learnt. This movie could just be one of the greatest movies of all time. Watch this film and prepare to be amazed as you find out what Andy has been planning for twenty years.