The film runs two narratives simultaneously, preparation of the escape and the escape itself. Frank Perry is a lifer and has long accepted that he will never see the outside again. When Perry receives his first letter in fourteen years that his cherished daughter is a drug addict and near death following an overdose, he starts to think about escaping. He plans an escape with help from Lenny Drake, Brodie and Viv Batista. But when Perry's new cellmate James Lacey gets noticed by Tony, things get more complicated and lead to Tony's death. When Perry receives the bad news that his daughter has died his plans change. Perry nears freedom, as he climbs towards a London Underground exit. The story snaps back to within the prison where Perry is offering himself to be killed by Rizza for failing to bring Lacey to him for punishment. The escape scenes were Perry's hallucinations as he was dying, and he sacrificed himself to cause distraction, allowing the other prisoners to escape.
Cast and characters
Brian Cox as Frank Perry. A solid and phlegmatic character, he holds his own, but neither attracts nor creates any trouble. He is a lifer and has long accepted that he will never see the outside again.
Damian Lewis as Rizza. A ruthless convict who rules over the other inmates.
Joseph Fiennes as Lenny Drake. A former thief and boxer.
Seu Jorge as Viv Batista. The prison chemist.
Liam Cunningham as Brodie. Perry's right-hand man and closest friend.
Stephen Farrelly as Two Ton. The prison's reigning bare-knuckle boxing champion.
Dominic Cooper as Lacey. A newly arrived prisoner and Frank's cellmate.
Steven Mackintosh as Tony. Brother of Rizza, drug addled and the source of much conflict.
Production
Writing
The role of Frank Perry was written specifically for Brian Cox. In an interview with Trevor Groth, Wyatt said "The structure of the film's plot was inspired by a well known short story written in the 19th century by Ambrose Bierce called An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."
Locations
Much of The Escapist was shot in Dublin's Kilmainham Gaol. A scene near the end is shot in the bascule chamber beneath Tower Bridge in London; it is exactly the same location where Wyatt's brother-in-law Boris Starling set the climax of his 2006 novel Visibility. The Kingsway tramway subway also features in the film.
Extras
The film is noted for featuring not only Irish WWE wrestler Sheamus in a main role but also future UFC star Conor McGregor as an extra playing a prisoner.
Music
The film features Leonard Cohen's version of "The Partisan" and British band Coldplay who wrote an eponymous song for the film which features on the end credits and on their bestselling album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends as a hidden track.
Reception
Critical reception
The film received a rating of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 44 reviews. The site's consensus: "A tense, smart prison break movie, The Escapist is a sharp debut from director Rupert Wyatt".
Box office
The North American box office total for the film was $13,439 with an additional $374,735 internationally for a worldwide total of $388,174.
