‘No Escape’ For Ray Liotta Trapped on an Island Prison [Review]
Anthony Arrigo
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Does it seem a tad cruelly ironic that No Escape (1994) takes place in 2022, with Ray Liotta in the lead, but in the actual 2022 he died? Perhaps just a morbid coincidence. This is one of those cult ‘90s titles that never had much of a life in theaters (it pretty much bombed) but got plenty of rentals in the VHS days – a handful of which came from me.
The story comes from Richard Herley’s 1987 novel The Penal Colony, and is directed by Martin Campbell, known for his work on the James Bond series. It’s a near-future dystopian sci-fi universe populated with colorful characters and extreme violence. Campbell stacks his film with a strong cast and there’s a good amount of sci-fi eye candy. But, the story is average in nearly every way, leading to an uneven feature that’s still good fun.
In the future year of 2022 ex-Marine John Robbins (Ray Liotta) is imprisoned at a maximum security facility after killing his commanding officer, who ordered Robbins to murder unarmed civilians. Robbins has a knack for escaping prisons, so the warden (Michael Lerner) ships him off to Absolom, an island camp where only the worst are sent. Robbins is greeted by Marek (Stuart Wilson), leader of the Outsiders, a savage group who force him into combat to earn the right to live. Robbins succeeds but rejects them, leading to a chase that puts him in the hands of the Insiders, the other group on the island. These are peaceful folk who mostly want to live in a quiet society that mimics the outside world. So, as you might suspect, both parties are going to have a big fight.
That’s kinda it. And that’s the problem: there isn’t a whole lot of story here. Robbins spends some time with the bad guys, spends more time with the good guys, a big fight is brewing for the climax, someone is a double agent, and none of this is new. What makes No Escape work are a few of the characters. Liotta was often a leading man but not in many action movies. This is a bit outside his wheelhouse but he nails it, probably because his image was already that of a tough guy. Like a typical loner anti-hero type he speaks little, preferring his fists to do the talking, and he’s smart—just what the island needs to shake up the ongoing stalemate between the warring factions.
Liotta (and everyone else) gets outshined by Stuart Wilson, though. Marek is the soul of this film. He’s an eccentric, flamboyant, cruel, sadistic, sharp-witted scoundrel and would rank right up there with some of the best ‘90s action villains. Wilson knows what kind of film he’s making and his bravado is cranked up to the max. Because he’s smart it suggests he is capable of sympathy and reason but the guy is just a psychopath with no regard. Wilson’s performance elevates the film so much that it feels deflated when he isn’t on screen.
The leader of the good guys is Lance Henriksen and I don’t have a single bad thing to say about Lance Henriksen… except that his character, The Father, is bland. He’s a benevolent guy who tries to teach these reformed prisoners how to conduct themselves. Seems like the kind of man you’d want leading your tribe. But, he isn’t much of a foil for Marek. Hell, even Liotta barely keeps up. Several other familiar faces appear in the cast but nobody else is doing outstanding work. Also, that hair isn’t doing Kevin Dillon any favors.
At 118 minutes No Escape is a bit long in the tooth but Campbell does his best to keep up the pace. Minor action scenes are peppered throughout, leading to a climax that’s as standard as it is subversive. My biggest gripe is the story often feels like it’s spinning its wheels waiting to get to the final showdown. There are a few scenes where the Insiders are trying to build a boat to get off the island and they ultimately don’t go anywhere because the boat is never used as a means of escape. All of that, for example, could have been cut. Thing is, they don’t make many movies like this anymore and certainly not with some of the wonderful miniature work and tangible dystopian qualities that have vanished in a CG-heavy era.
Does anyone remember the DVD release for this? Probably best if you don’t but suffice it to say this Blu-ray debut is revelatory by comparison. The 2.35:1 1080p image is well-defined. Most of the film takes place during the day and the picture is often brilliant. The earthy tones of the jungle appear rich and lush. A handful of miniature shots in the opening reveal numerous details in the artistry. The film grain looks natural, not processed. Low-budget ‘90s action movies aren’t always the most attractive but the lensing here by director of photography Phil Meheux (who also shot Casino Royale (2006) and Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)) is grand.
There isn’t much to crow about regarding the audio. An English DTS-HD MA 5.1 track does a fine job of delivering the goods, with an audible experience that’s mostly front-loaded aside from a few of the jungle chase scenes which make good use of the surrounds. Explosions have a nice bit of oomph. Dialogue sounds clear within the mix. An LPCM 2.0 stereo track is also included. Subtitles are available in English, English SDH, and French.
“Welcome to the Future: The Sci-Fi Worlds of Gale Anne Hurd” (HD, 17 minutes and 8 seconds), is an audio interview with the legendary producer, who talks about her early influences, starting her career, working with the biggest names in the genre, and more.
“Survival of the Fittest: Directing No Escape” (HD, 13 minutes and 35 seconds) is another audio interview, this time with director Martin Campbell.
“Penal Colony: Writing No Escape” (HD, 9 minutes and 46 seconds) features another audio interview, this time with co-writer Joel Gross.
“Alternate Intro” (HD, 2 minutes and 10 seconds) is the exact same as the current one except this uses the international “Escape from Absolom” title card.
“Making of Escape from Absolom” (SD, 28 minutes and 2 seconds) is a vintage featurette, with cast and crew interviews alongside behind-the-scenes footage.
“Vintage Featurette” (SD, 6 minutes and 20 seconds), this is one of those classic EPKs.
A promo gallery (HD) runs for 7 minutes and 56 seconds.
Special Features:
- Welcome to the Future: The sci-fi worlds of Gale Anne Hurd – new interview with producer Gale Anne Hurd
- Survival of the Fittest: Directing No Escape – new interview with filmmaker Martin Campbell
- Penal Colony: Writing No escape – new interview with co-writer Joel Gross
- Vintage Making of Featurettes
- Alternate Intro
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Photo Gallery
- Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature
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No Escape
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Special Features
Summary
No Escape offers adventurous, dystopian sci-fi, with a commendable cast and a few stunningly violent scenes. Unearthed Films’ new Blu-ray is a major upgrade over the ages-old DVD, making this an easy recommendation for fans of the film and/or genre.
