No Escape - A hidden gem of a B-movie

‘No Escape’ is a B-movie.  Fact.  It has B-movie written all over it.  And that’s no bad thing.  It never really tries to be anything else.  It’s about a futuristic world where prisoners are big business for corporations.  Unless they don’t work.  Then they get shipped off to this out of the way island where they can kill each other as much as they like.

One such prisoner is Ray Liotta.  He may be a convicted murderer, but he did it for just motives, therefore we can root for him.  And he bands together with a load of equally supportable prisoners on the island, compared to the other lot – who are basically barbarians.  Thus we have our movie – the ‘good’ (well, just) prisoners, fighting off the ‘bad’ prisoners on a little island paradise.

Our boy Ray’s helped out by a variety of other B-movie actors.  You’ll recognise him from what’s-it-called and that bloke out of Aliens, plus the Ghostbuster who joined last.  Anyway, it doesn’t matter.  It’s a fun film with plenty of action and rolls along nicely, helped no small part by the baddie.  He’s great fun – naturally psychotic, but great fun.  In than annals of B-movie baddies, Stuart Wilson deserves a mention – sometimes camp, always bonkers and ready to slaughter anyone just to keep control of the psychos under him.

Despite its ‘B-movie’ status, it’s actually a little longer than your average ‘straight to DVD’ flick. Yet it never seems to drag.  Basically, if you like action, B-movies with a touch of sci-fi and want something to eat popcorn to, give this one a try.  You can pick it up pretty cheaply or even stream it from many a website.

Plus, is it just me, or are all the computer terminals straight out of ‘Aliens?’ It’s like No Escape is set in the same universe.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one