The Last Castle (2001)
Directed by Rod Lurie
Written by David Scarpa, Graham Yost
Starring Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Delroy Lindo
Release Date October 19th, 2001
Published October 18th, 2001
The Last Castle is yet another film that falls into the category of could have been great. All the elements are there including a strong cast, headed up by Robert Redford and James Gandolfini, and a good director in former film critic Rod Lurie who directed The Contender, one of the best films of 2000. Unfortunately The Last Castle is too predictable and hampered by lead performance by Mr. Redford which lacks investment.
The Last Castle is the story of General Eugene Irwin (Redford) who, we are told, is a legend from Vietnam to the Gulf War to Bosnia. Now, Irwin is a prisoner following court martial and is sentenced to 10 years in prison for reasons left unsaid for a reason. Irwin serves his time in the military prison known as 'The Castle.' It's called the castle because it looks like a castle but also because it is ruled by a tyrannical wannabe King.
James Gandolfini plays the malevolent warden, Commandant Edward Winter, who rules his prison with fear and treatment many might consider cruel. General Irwin wants nothing more than to just serve his time but after witnessing abuse of prisoners, and outright murder, Irwin decides to lead a revolt. Using a prison informant, CPL Sam Yates (Mark Ruffalo), as a double agent, Irwin sets in motion a plan to cause an uprising that will be witnessed by Winter's superior, General Wheeler (Delroy Lindo). That should be enough to get Winter removed from command.
The story of The Last Castle is entertainingly told with some moments of genius including a scene early in the revolt involving the kidnapping of another General played by Delroy Lindo. However Lindo's character seems curiously out sync, he seems to show up just to setup other scenes and acts as more of a plot device than a character. What completely undoes The Last Castle however is Redford. It goes without saying that Robert Redford is a brilliant actor, a true legend, but he is on auto-pilot in The Last Castle and his lack of interest in the plot and his own character is palpable.
Redford's previous film to The Last Castle was the sleep inducing lead role in The Horse Whisperer and he brought the same sleepy disinterest in performing to General Irwin who seems to have no passion for what he's doing. Redford's Irwin seems more inconvenienced by having to lead an uprising than he appears to care about the men he's seen being abused. I understand it's best to remain calm and collected in the circumstances of a plot like but there is calm and then there is a sense of complete apathy.
Gandolfini on the other hand is passionate, energetic and thin-skinned. His war with Irwin begins with a minor verbal slight from the General. Gandolfini evokes MASH's Frank Burns on steroids, mad with power and envy. If only Redford had a little Hawkeye Pierce in his General Irwin the sparring between these two characters would have least had some good one liners and Hawkeye was if anything passionate.
