» The Forgiven (2017, UK)
Heavyweight bout between Archbishop Tutu and a racist prisoner. Cape Town, 1996.
» Tomorrow’s Joe (2011, Japan)
Second filmed version of a famed boxing manga; rivalry, honour, rising through adversity and a bit of prison.
» The Informer (2019, UK)
The Informer has a little more complexity than most action thrillers. But not so much that it explains why IMDb’s précis (“An ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison”) pretty much misses the point entirely. ‘Intentionally gets himself incarcerated’, yes, but he returns […]
» Çakallarla Dans 2: Hastasiyis Dede! / Dance with the Jackals 2 (2012, Turkey)
Four friends in prison are released to test an experimental drug. And struggle. As does the movie.
» Capharnaüm (2018, Lebanon and others)
Stunning film of a 12-year-old boy in juvenile prison and his fight to break free of his parents’ influence.
» Stars and Roses (1989, Hong Kong)
Sad and silly film about a Hong Kong boy in jail in Vietnam and in love with a local girl.
» Ambush at Dark Canyon (2012, USA)
Wild west meets duck soup prison escape.
» Turkey Shoot (2014, Australia)
Death row hero is dropped into a kill-or-be-killed reality TV show.
» Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019, USA)
Chinese heiress held in a Belarusian back site prison. Not as interesting as it sounds.
» Avengement (2019, UK)
Brothers-at-war revenge story. And a good one.