There's something intellectually fascinating about Rod Lurie's prison-set drama. The filmmaker, who also directed "The Contender," makes the central conflict – between a prison warden (James Gandolfini) and his newest prisoner, a three-star general (Robert Redford) unfairly stripped of his rank – a psychological tussle that's intriguing.
But only for a while.
James Gandolfini, left, and Robert Redford, right, in "The Last Castle."
(DreamWorks SKG)
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Although the movie has a few interesting twists and turns, its mind-versus-mind conceit devolves into a mundane warden-versus-inmate conclusion. And the believability factor is stretched pretty thin, particularly by the general's instant and effortless assumption of command over 1,200 no-nonsense inmates at this maximum security prison.
There's also a predictable subplot involving Mark Ruffalo as the almost requisite prison snitch that fails to add anything original to the movie.
And Gandolfini can do little to render his tight-lipped, iron-fisted warden anything more than a cliche.
THE LAST CASTLE (R, 131 minutes) – Contains violence and obscenity. Area Theaters.
