Lock Up ** (1989, Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Darlanne Fluegel, Frank McRae, Sonny Landham, Tom Sizemore) – Classic Movie Review 12,862

John Flynn’s routine but capable enough and entirely acceptable 1989 American prison action thriller film Lock Up stars Sylvester Stallone and Donald Sutherland. 

Director John Flynn’s routine but capable enough and entirely acceptable 1989 American prison action thriller film Lock Up stars Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Darlanne Fluegel, Frank McRae, Sonny Landham, and Tom Sizemore.

Hoboken, New Jersey, mechanic Frank Leone (Stallone) is locked up in a maximum security hell-hole run by brutal Warden Drumgoole (Sutherland), who is determined to exact a terrible revenge on him because he once escaped from another of Sutherland’s jails.

It’s a familiar tale with a supporting cast of prison stereotypes, but director Flynn turns it into a violent and efficient action film with a smouldering performance by the star in a role geared to his audience’s expectations.

Stallone keeps within his limited range and notches up an effective but rare 1980s non-Rambo-Rocky action appearance. Though uninspired and unsurprising, the film is a thoroughly professional conveyor belt movie, grist to the Eighties action mill, with enough action highlight thrills.

Also in the cast are John Amos, Sonny Landham, Tom Sizemore, Frank McRae, Darlanne Fluegel, and William Allen Young.

It was released in the US on 4 August 1989, grossing $22.1 million on a budget of $24 million in cinemas, though video sales probably turned it into a profit.

Stallone did not recall it fondly: ‘It was not a film that was produced and performed with enough maturity to really make a significant impact on the audience or my career.’

Lock Up is directed by John Flynn, runs 108 minutes, is made by White Eagle Pictures and Carolco Pictures, is released by Tri-Star Pictures (US) and Guild (UK), is written by Richard Smith, Jeb Stuart and Henry Rosenbaum, is shot by Donald E Thorin, is produced by Lawrence Gordon and Charles Gordon, is scored by Bill Conti, and is designed by Bill Kenney.

The cast are Sylvester Stallone as Frank Leone, Donald Sutherland as Warden Drumgoole, John Amos as Captain Meissner, Sonny Landham as “Chink” Weber, Tom Sizemore as Dallas, Frank McRae as ‘Eclipse’, Darlanne Fluegel as Melissa, William Allen Young as Guard Braden, Larry Romano as “First Base” Pena, Jordan Lund as Guard Manly, John Lilla as Guard Wiley, Dean Duval as Ernie, Jerry Strivelli as Louie Munafo, David Anthony Marshall as Guard Mastrone, Kurek Ashley as Chink’s Gang Member, Michael Petroni as Chink’s Gang Member, Danny Trejo as Chink’s Gang Member, and Frank Pesce as Johnson.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,862

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com