I can live with the endless errors and absurdities because it moves along at a brisk pace. But the story line is far fetched with stereotyped characters although the acting is still pretty good. It must be a challenge to give a good performance when your scripted character spouts clichés and has all the depth of a worn out (Canadian) dime. Here, once more, is a Canadian film doing its best to hide that fact. I'm still puzzling over the fact it was shot in Manitoba but all the cars have (what seem to be) Michigan licence plates. (Nor does the Manitoba countryside looks anything like any part of Michigan I've seen.) Why do Canadian actors continue to demean themselves by participating in these embarrassing charades. If you are any good at the film business, you end up in Hollywood. If you are a no talent writer or director, you do one of these embarrassing, government subsidized Canadian clones.

Gloating serial killer Devon Sawa, a media-friendly and fabulously wealthy playboy, is sent to Roundwood, a medium security prison in Michigan run by glamorous warden Diane Neal. It's a dead end for Final Destination kid Sawa, but is it a step up or down for Ms Neal, who played assistant DA Casey Novak in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit? From scene one, this ridiculous prison flick's dismal script is guilty of so many cardinal cliché sins (does Neal's 'difficult' teen daughter Jodelle Ferland live with her at the prison – you bet). And it's yet another shame-faced Canadian TV time-waster coyly pretending to be American. Fair warning: producer-director Mike Elliott also made Blue Crush 2 and Scorpion King 4.

Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable. Literally. this film starts out quite good. We got a strong female protagonist acting as a warden for a medium security prison. She ends up battling corruption with her fellow guards and various other individuals intrigued by the 50 million dollar offer this rapist serial killer offered for his release. It sounds great right... IT'S NOT!The film's cast is good which had me being quite positive in the beginning along with the start of this dreadfully streamlined story that has Hollywwod BS written all over it. It's just the usual super protagonist who beats up Mr. antagonist all over again. Crowd pleaser yes but it fails just the same.The film has you believe its realistic that like 99 % of ALL THE GUARDS in the prison go turncoat for 100.000 dollars. Yea.. except the one guard in charge who gets 50 million. No concern whatsoever for potential prosecution following the escape of Mr. serial killer/ rapist. Nope...lets just take the money and never mind all the rules and regulation. With 100.000 dollars we can probably avoid federal prosecution and incarceration due to corruption and bribery allegations. Yea... great work. I don't mind the 50 million offer the antagonist makes. It makes the film quite interesting. But when practically 99 % of all the people in this film betrays our protagonist (The Warden portrayed by Diane Neal who does a good job acting but her character is poorly written so what can you do) this film simply becomes ridiculous and literally in-credible. For the love of god... even the Head of Corrections who also appears in the film ends up siding with the serial killer. *facepalm* There is so much wasted potential I don't even know where to begin. The film feels so rushed. There is like a 10-15 minute interval between each attack on this prison. First some random dude with a hunting rifle who wants to take on FULLY ARMORED guards with M16's. yea... okay...I can go with that. Unrealistic as hell but it makes for an interesting start.next up we got these forensic guys who secretly acquired guard uniforms so they can infiltrate the prison which they do within the blink of an eye but our super Warden stops them with the help of this one inmate who I will get to later.Thirdly and finally all the guards are paid 100.000 dollars out of 50 MILLION FREAKING DOLLARS if they simply go home and ignore the upcoming prison break. 99 % of all the guards accept the bribe.... *raises eyebrow* Are you serious Patricia?! Are you absolutely serious!? Oh yea...go to prison for a few years for 100.000 dollars. Thats a deal any prison guard would make right... Jesus. COME ON! REALLY!?In the end after the Head of Corrections manages to kidnap the Wardens daughter and escape with her and the serial killer. So......yea..... They all get stopped in the end and the serial killer guy gets handed over to this crime boss who's daughter is dead at the hands of the serial killer (Or so we think)So....finally....THE END. Let me sum up what we're dealing with. Then you my dear reader can evaluate whether you want to see it or not. If you do then use a free film site because I cannot recommend paying for this.Acting = Good 1. Cast = Good 2. Start of the film = Great and interesting 3. Mid and end of the film = Hollywood typical garbage (Bad in other words) 4. Entertaining = After around 50-60 % of the film it gets really bad. 5. Credible = ABSOLUTELY NOT. Its unrealistic as hell. 6. Content = The film has TOO MUCH content. Too many things packed into too small a film. Another reference that annoyed me was the blatant liberal approach that makes it self VERY visible. The afro American inmate who apparently has been wrongly imprisoned due to "outdated" laws who ends up saving the day. Literally. If this film is not a direct attack on the judicial system of states like Missisipi and Texas I don't know what is. Liberal Hollywood ehh Patricia?Why!! WHY!! is it that NOBODY can make a decent freaking film ANYMORE!And why is it that by the end of the film this Warden ends up breaking the law even though she's spent the ENTIRE TIME upholding it. Because...we want to highlight her human side? Is that is? Why didn't you just do that to begin with then? Instead of making a colossal U-turn in your FACE freaking 5 minutes before the film ends.In my opinion this is dumb. really really dumb. And it's typical because this film tries to be a crowd pleaser. To some extent is manages to do so. But the ending is too stereotypical and predictable. At the matter of fact this film is ENTIRELY predictable which makes the replayability factor next to NILL.It's a shame... I really liked how this started out but by the mid and end of the film I was just waiting for this "waste of time" to be over.Is it worth a watch? Sure...I guess. You might find it sorta entertaining. But the issue is that this film turns into an action when it should have remained a crime story. The following is nothing we haven't seen before. Quite the contrary is all that we've seen TOO MANY blasted times already. 5 out of 10 guys. A mediocre film. If it had continued down the path the Start of the film began with it could have scored higher without question. But considering what we ended up with... 5 out of 10. Conclusion = An Okay/Whatever film. Shameful waste of potential. Dammit Patricia!

A very incredible film here dealing with a female warden's efforts to restore order when a series killer, from a very wealthy family, comes to her prison and offers $50 million to anyone who can spring him.It's as if all hell breaks loose after this statement is made. Decent, honest hard working people turn dishonest and try to help this lunatic. This prison really becomes a cuckoo's nest. Everyone, but everyone is turning against her; she is left with a decent person who has been denied parole. The warden's daughter is taken from her by this character.Even though the ending is a good one, wait until you see what's waiting for this killer. Can anyone really uphold the law here?