The Last Castle

2001
R
2h 11m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

87K

YOUR RATING

Robert Redford, James Gandolfini, Delroy Lindo, and Mark Ruffalo in The Last Castle (2001)

Play trailer2:24

2 Videos

99 Photos

Prison Drama Action Drama Thriller

A court-martialed General rallies together twelve hundred inmates to rise against a corrupt and sadistic warden.A court-martialed General rallies together twelve hundred inmates to rise against a corrupt and sadistic warden.A court-martialed General rallies together twelve hundred inmates to rise against a corrupt and sadistic warden.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

87K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations

Videos2

Trailer 2:24

The Last Castle

Featurette 3:36

The Last Castle: B Roll

Featurette 3:36

The Last Castle: B Roll

Photos116

110

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
James Gandolfini was reportedly reluctant to accept the role of Colonel Winter because he didn't understand the story and had never served in the military. He committed largely on the strength of a lengthy speech Winter delivered in the original script. Ironically, the scene was cut from the final film.

Goofs
It was an error to have Irwin be a 3-star general. 3-star and 4-star generals hold their ranks temporarily, as long as they occupy a 3-star or 4-star position. When they are transferred from one 3- or 4-star position to another, the President must re-nominate them for Senate confirmation. If an officer is relieved (fired) from one of those positions, he reverts to 2-star by operation of law unless awaiting retirement (and then only for 60 days). Irwin was court-martialed, so the Army certainly wouldn't keep him in a 3-star slot. They'd relieve him and he'd go to court-martial as a 2-star. See 10 USC 601.

Quotes
Irwin: [narrating first lines] Take a look at a castle. Any castle. Now break down the key elements that make it a castle. They haven't changed in a thousand years. 1: Location. A site on high ground that commands the territory as far as the eye can see. 2: Protection. Big walls, walls strong enough to withstand a frontal attack. 3: A garrison. Men who are trained and willing to kill. 4: A flag. You tell your men you are soldiers and that's your flag. You tell them nobody takes our flag. And you raise that flag so it flies high where everyone can see it. Now you've got yourself a castle. The only difference between this castle and all the rest is that they were built to keep people out. This castle is built to keep people in.

Connections
Featured in HBO First Look: Inside the Walls of 'The Last Castle' (2001)

Soundtracks
Chiseled in Stone
Written & Performed by Dean Hall

User reviews361

Review

Featured review

6/10

A good if predictable movie.

The Last Castle is a fine if somewhat predictable jail movie of redemption and determination against the odds. Having seen the previews I thought nothing of ever seeing the film, but saw it on the shelf in the video store and thought it would pass an evening.

It did that very well, and is worth seeing for at least one reason. Although Robert Redford puts in a solid performance, James Gandolfini steals this movie with his simpering, bully-boy performance. Despite knowing from the opening scene that he will undoubted lose against Redford's disgraced general, Gandolfini's depiction of a man in authority but with little power is very subtle and worth watching.

The rest of the film has some clever moments, but you see everything coming - Redford inspiring the other prisoners, the inevitable conflicts and the finale. The Last Castle is worth seeing once.