Lock Up

Amazon.com

With vanity projects like 1989's schlocky Lock Up to his credit, it's a wonder Sylvester Stallone survived to make some better movies in the '90s. This is a brutal dose of macho action that Stallone squeezed in between Rambo III and Rocky V, and his fans didn't seem to mind, so who's to judge? It's not as bad as Sly's other 1989 disaster (Tango & Cash), but you'd have to be demented, drunk, or have really low standards to call this a good movie. But if you're in a primal mood you'll get a kick out of this grimy flick, which would qualify as Z-grade exploitation if it weren't for Stallone's beefy presence as Frank Leone, a cooperative prisoner who's six months shy of parole when he's relocated to a hellhole called Gateway Prison. The wretched high-security facility is commandeered by Warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland), who is determined to settle an old score with Stallone ... and you can pretty much guess the rest. Director John Flynn didn't exactly distinguish himself with this one (he'd go on to direct forgettable fare like Out for Justice and Brainscan), but there's more visual style here than you might expect, and Sly manages to take it all so seriously that you can easily enjoy this gut buster as an unintentional comedy. --Jeff Shannon

Description

"This is hell and I'm going to give you a guided tour!" With these chilling words, the warden (Donald Sutherland) welcomes Frank Leone (Sylvester Stallone) to Gateway Prison, a nightmare jail where every minute is hard time. The warden wants vengeance for the past; Leone wants only to survive the present. Their explosive battle of wills is the electrifying heart of one of Stallone's most heroic thrillers, LOCK UP. Stallone gives a monumental performance as Leone, a convict driven to break his own cherished code by a warden who will stop at nothing to get him.

Customer Reviews:

After Lockup Sid the Elf says DTA is now DTL which stands for Dynamic Tantayzing Leone.......2007-08-07

In Lockup, the old boy Sly Stallone, plays Frank Leone (hence our great title). Leone is without question the most beloved tragic figure in modern American cinema. He is a rough and tumble yet lovable parpadelle and brocolli eating machanic who remarks on a nice kiss from his girlfriend by simply saying "that's Italian." It doesn't really make any sense to us, either. But it makes sense to Leone, and that's just going to have to be good enough. This film did NOT recieve its due ammount of critical acclaim or box-office sucess. We, Sid the Elf, have just one question: why?

Lockup has everything you can ask for in a movie. It has a really tough nut to crack in the ledgendary Chink Webber, who gives us so many great lines. For example "Move it Ace, that's my spot," and "When are you going to paint your nails and start answering to the name (explitive deleted)?" You have First Base, who contributes a heaping helping of comedy just by speaking. There's the immortal Eclipse, who touches the heart when the solitary tear rolls down his face at witnessing the destruction of his baby, Maybeline(a car by the way). And, if the room doesn't get officially dusty when Leone is seemingly caught trying to escape because his close friend, Deep-fried Dallas rats him out then you have no soul.

We could go on for pages and pages on Lockup because it is one of Sid the Elf's favorite movies. We were discussing this during our current screening, which kicked off our Stallone season, and we are putting it behind only the zenith of B Death Ring. So, naturally, Lockup gets the Sid the Elf Seal of Approval. See this movie! You'll thank us, yet again. That means everything's ok.

most underrated stallone film ever.......2007-03-18

This simply is the most underrated film stallone has ever done since the other most underrated stallone film before it over the top.Wonderfull film about frank leone who sits out his prison scentence quietly until donal sutherland transvers him to his prison with the goal to kill him.
Watch stallone play a nice guy who just tries to survive.And once again
bill conti delivers a perfect score for a stallone film.The music here is just perfect.

Welcome to Hell. I'll Be Your Tour Guide..........2005-08-04

This is possibly Stallone's best movie since the original 'Rocky'. He plays Frank Leone, a convict on the verge of being a free man when he gets transferred to the worst possible prison imaginable. This movie is like the unbeatable 'Shawshank Redemption' with some action scenes sprinkled in. Donald Sutherland plays the demonic warden of the prison who has a grudge against Frank.

Along the way, Frank befriends many of his inmates and helps them understand that once they become a part of the system and break, then they're owned by the warden. It quite frankly makes you care about some of the men inside the prison, like 'Shawshank' did, even though you know they pretty much all deserve to be in there.

It's a shame that many people have never heard of this movie, because it is Stallone's best effort aside from 'Rocky' and 'Cop Land'. This is a very emotional movie that really keeps you involved with multiple twists and a great story. See it! You won't be disappointed!

Derek from Johannesburg .......2004-11-08

BEST PRISON DRAMA MOVIE

After Rocky 1, this is Stallone's BEST movie! (the reason why this is in my DVD collection)..

Anyone that can say that the Shawshank Redemption was a better prison drama, obviously wasn't watching this movie.

The movie shows the tough side and the human side to a man trying to make the best of a bad situation (in prison).
Stallone's brilliant performance highlights both these qualities.

There'll never be another Sylvester Stallone - only modern-day imitations..

It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!!.......2003-02-06

Ok, so the guy who did the Amazon.com Editorial review calls the people who enjoy this movie demented, drunk, or having really low standards. Who says you have to take the movie seriously...just enjoy it; I think we all realize that what happens in this movie would never happen in real life, and that's what makes it so cool. I say Lock Up is one of Stallone's more memorable movies for me although it is one of his lesser known roles. This movie probably wouldn't be good if it were played by anyone other than Stallone, but it isn't so it's great. Stallone plays Frank Leone, a man serving a short and normal prison sentence, when he is suddenly and inexplicably sent to Gateway, a hell-hole of a prison, with the evil Warden Drumgoole in charge, played very well by Donald Sutherland. Drumgoole employs a bully named Chink, (played by Sonny Landham) to make sure Leone's time at Gateway is as unpleasant as possible. The most memorable moment in the film for me is when Leone goes after Chink when he crosses the line. On the front of the DVD one critic states, "A surprisingly human film." I must agree. You really start to feel for Frank Leone after he is given such a hard time, and you want to see him exact his revenge like only Stallone can.

Description

Across the country, some 104,000 troubled teens are locked up in juvenile correction facilities. ABC News was granted unprecedented access to teens at Adobe Mountain School for boys and Black Canyon School for girls in Arizona. The purpose of these "safe schools" is to reform not punish. Still, conditions inside are tough and harsh and is usually the teens last shot to change their ways. Correspondent: Chris Cuomo

LOCK UP (DVD)(SENSORMATIC)MASTERED/SPAN SUB/DOLBY SURROUND/INTERATIVE MENUS

Average customer rating:

After Lockup Sid the Elf says DTA is now DTL which stands for Dynamic Tantayzing Leone
most underrated stallone film ever
Welcome to Hell. I'll Be Your Tour Guide...
Derek from Johannesburg
It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!!

LOCK UP (DVD)(SENSORMATIC)MASTERED/SPAN SUB/DOLBY SURROUND/INTERATIVE MENUS

Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: 0784011230

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

After Lockup Sid the Elf says DTA is now DTL which stands for Dynamic Tantayzing Leone.......2007-08-07

most underrated stallone film ever.......2007-03-18

Welcome to Hell. I'll Be Your Tour Guide..........2005-08-04

Derek from Johannesburg .......2004-11-08

It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!!.......2003-02-06

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Movie.......2007-02-16

I throughly enjoyed this movie. Plenty of action with Stallone and Keiffer Sutherland doing a good job. Not their best performances but definitely not their worst. I recommend this movie.