I relish sci-fi films set in a future that has since passed or which is now just around the corner. When I first watched No Escape, the year in which it takes place - 2022 - seemed like a fair way off; now, it's less than four years away. This sort of thing can make the technology aspect of such films a lot of fun - for example, No Escape features holographic communication (still not a thing) and yet shows computer operators using CRT monitors (no longer a thing).Sadly, the film's sci-fi trappings are quickly discarded as soldier Capt. J.T. Robbins (Ray Liotta), convicted for murdering his commanding officer, is dropped onto the prison island of Absolom. With no electricity on the island, the convicts use low-tech equipment to perform everyday tasks, which means no more unintentional giggles at inaccurate predictions of the future. Instead, we get a lot of sub-par Mad Max-styled action nonsense in which Robbins fights alongside the 'insiders' (the good guys) against the 'outsiders' (the bad guys) led by the nasty Walter Marek (played by Stuart Wilson, whose character has ridiculously good teeth for someone who has been on the island for seven years!).A spot of brutal violence (including an impressively nasty beheading), a couple of reasonable stunts (best being a very high fall into some water), Norma Moriceau's silly costumes (the armour worn by the insiders is decorated with pretty seashells, while one has fashioned himself a Kagemusha style Samurai helmet from bamboo), and a token midget prevent the film from being a total waste of time, but on the whole this is derivative and unexceptional '90s action tosh. Lance Henriksen is totally wasted as The Father, leader of the insiders, who is like a cross between Max Von Sydow in The Ultimate Warrior and Pappagallo from The Road Warrior.

This one was a favorite of mine back in my High-School days. I watched it countless times. In fact, I even had the movie poster on the wall of my room at one time. The last time I watched it was probably about 15 years ago. I was going through my VHS collection and trying to find something to watch I hadn't viewing in awhile and saw this. So, I grabbed it and threw it in.This one actually holds up fairly well. It wasn't quite as good as I remembered, but it's still a solid film. I think the premise is actually interesting. Kind of an adult version of Lord of The Flies but they are there for more nefarious reasons. The cast is great. A lot of very solid actors, both ones you'd know by name and others you'd recognize by their faces. There are some fairly good action sequences, but for the most part, it's not overly heavy on that aspect. This is a very story driven movie. The FXs are solid and the score fits the film well. I think the listing of the film as an Action, Drama, Sci-Fi is right on the button. Very heavy on the Drama and Action, light on the sci-fi, but those elements are all there.It's a longer film which is one thing that might put a damper on viewing for some people, especially if you're going in expecting a mile a minute action thriller. It does have some weaker points, but they're not anything that would ruin the movie for you. I think most of those things are also subjective to the person watching's personal taste.I'm glad I finally saw this again. While I remembered a lot of it, there were a few moments I didn't. While I did enjoy it, it isn't one that I need to have on DVD or Blu-Ray. I might snag a copy and upgrade if I could find it for cheap, but for the time being my VHS copy still serves its purpose.My Rating: 7/10

Take some pretty good actors, Ray Liotta, Stuart Wilson, Lance Henrekson, Michael Lerner, among others, and put them in an exciting no escape prison situation. That along with a script that keeps the high level of excitement going for a full 118 minutes, and you have a winning combination. Special mention must be made of the excellent Australian location, and the great sets and costumes. Ray Liotta is thrown into the middle of two warring factions, while his only objective is to escape from Michael Lerner's futuristic island prison. Zero women, zero romantic distractions, "No Escape" is 100% action, and exceeds expectations. - MERK

Ah, the glorious early nineties! Back when big stars were still appearing in incredibly violent action movies and when over-anxious kids like myself had to secretly sneak into cinemas because you weren't allowed to see these movies under the age of 16. "Escape from Absolom" is a childhood favorite of mine, so my views and opinions may be a bit biased, but still I think they don't make action flicks like this one anymore nowadays. The script may perhaps contain a few gigantic holes and completely illogic twists, but at least it's continuously fast-paced, politically incorrect and spectacular. The year's 2022 and prisons have turned into private companies without government interference. Absolom is the name of a prison colony island where the sadistic warden (Michael Lerner) plays off the Outsiders against the Insiders. The former are an unorganized bunch of savages wearing masks and hunting with primitive weapons, led by the relentless but charismatic Walter Marek. The Insiders, however, attempted to found a peaceful community where they grow crops and seek for moral redemption. The newly arrived and military trained prisoner Robbins would make a great asset for the Insiders, since he's the only one to have ever escaped from the Outsiders, but he's stubborn and anti-social and solely intends to get off the island alone. The concept of "Escape from Absolom" is very reminiscent to copious other (futuristic) prison movies, like "Fortress", "Papillon", "Blood Camp Thatcher", "Escape from NY" …, but this one definitely benefices from good production values, staggering filming locations, a devoted cast and the professional direction of Martin Campbell. The battle sequences as well as the violent ordeals Robbins meets in the Outsiders' camp are robust and grisly, including a lot of decapitations and swashbuckling. The high tempo and adrenalin-level is only occasionally overshadowed by overly sentimental biographies and redundant flashbacks. Obviously in a prison colony, everybody has a story to tell about why he ended up there and the film tells too many of them. Ray Liotta's character is an interesting anti-hero, since he remains unreliable and somewhat aloof. The most fascinating character is undoubtedly Walter Merak. He's an insane and power-obsessed dictator with menacing facial expressions and a deranged sense of humor. Merak also narrates R-rated versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and eliminates the members of his own "parliament" to gain even more power. It's a stupendous performance from Stuart Wilson; an actor whose other works I'm not really familiar with. The always reliable Lance Henriksen, Ernie Hudson, Kevin J. O'Connor and Ian McNeice deliver awesome roles in the supportive cast. Granted, the movie is far from flawless and the sudden ending is a bit stupid and implausible, but "Escape from Absolom" nevertheless remains one of the highlights of early 90's Sci-Fi/action cinema.