Movie · 2013 · Action, Thriller · 1h 55m · R · English
Curator score: 1.6/10 (394.6K ratings)
No one breaks out alone.
Overview
Ray Breslin is the world's foremost authority on structural security. After analyzing every high security prison and learning a vast array of survival skills so he can design escape-proof prisons, his skills are put to the test. He's framed and incarcerated in a master prison he designed himself. He needs to escape and find the person who put him behind bars.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.6/10
IMDb: 6.7/10
Letterboxd: 2.92/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
Metacritic: 49
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Mikael Håfström
Production
Knightsbridge Entertainment, Summit Entertainment, Atmosphere Entertainment MM, Envision Entertainment, Boies/Schiller Film Group, Lionsgate
Cast
Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, 50 Cent, Sam Neill, Vinnie Jones, Faran Tahir, Vincent D'Onofrio, Amy Ryan, Graham Beckel, Matt Gerald, Caitríona Balfe, David Joseph Martinez, Alec Rayme, Christian Stokes, Rodney Feaster, David Leitch, Lydia Hull, Eric Salas, Brian Oerly
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A slick, mildly ridiculous prison-break action vehicle that works best as a star-powered buddy movie. The premise is stronger than the plotting, but the chemistry, prison design, and straight-faced silliness make it an easy watch for genre fans.
Best for
fans of 80s/90s-style action revivals
viewers who enjoy prison-break setups
people who want light, undemanding thriller entertainment
fans of Stallone/Schwarzenegger team-ups
Skip if
you want tightly written or especially plausible thrillers
you dislike formulaic action movies
you need strong character depth or emotional stakes
you are hoping for sustained, hard-hitting action
Overview
Escape Plan is built on a high-concept hook that sells itself immediately: the world’s best prison designer gets trapped inside his own impossible facility. That premise gives the movie a clean, efficient engine, and the production design does a lot of the heavy lifting by making the prison feel like a puzzle box rather than a generic concrete maze.
Worth noting
The real attraction is the pairing of Stallone and Schwarzenegger. The movie understands that the pleasure here is less about surprise than about watching two aging action icons trade lines, posture, and grudging respect. Schwarzenegger, in particular, leans into the role with a dry, playful energy that gives the film its personality.
Bottom line
As an action-thriller, it’s uneven and often silly, with plotting that becomes increasingly convenient once the escape machinery starts turning. But it’s also unpretentious and watchable, the kind of mid-budget genre movie that knows exactly what audience it is courting. If you want a polished, serious prison thriller, look elsewhere; if you want a breezy star vehicle with a clever setup, this delivers enough to justify the ride.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Matt Singer (3.5★) · 366 likes
I shall name my first-born son Emil Rottmayer.
Or first-born daughter.
Also I'm calling my wife Emil Rottmayer now.
In conclusion, a masterpiece.
Todd Gaines (3★) · 250 likes
As much as I would've loved a Sly and Arnie combo movie in the 80s or 90s, it probably would've ended in a hot mess. Too many big egos, and not a single screen big enough to hold them. Someone would need to take a step back, and let the other actor be the lead. This happens in Escape Plan. Sly plays the lead, and Arnie is the sidekick. But, the ironic part? Arnie steals the show.
The movie is… more
Christian Di Leo (3★) · 248 likes
This scene lives rent-free in my head.
👦🏻🔏🔗🚬👨🏿💻🏃🏻♂️🏢🕋🚢📸🖕🏾👨🏾🦲🔫👨🏻🦳📸👨🏻💼💥🛢🚁
David Sims (2.5★) · 208 likes
Arnie has such a sparkle in his eye in the post-governor projects. He missed the movies
Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine (4★) · 174 likes
Fight! - Stallone v. Schwarzenegger: A Rivalry of Muscular Proportions
That ending on the beach was one of the most meta moments in cinema history, and one only those who know the history between these two actors will get and chuckle at.
Between the premise and the surprising (?) chemistry between these two icons, it makes for an entertaining watch from beginning to end. The banter, the planning, and the twists and turns were a lot of fun to see… more
1997 · Action, Crime, Science Fiction · 2h 19m · R · Curator 6.2/10 (728.5K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, MGM Plus
A high-concept action thriller that thrives on absurdity, star power, and escalating set pieces.