escape plan 2013 movie review

Escape Plan

"Escape Plan"

If personality were enough to carry a movie, “Escape Plan” would never touch the ground. In this film, action movie old dogs Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger are relentlessly likeable, even when serving up plot and dialogue that would have been trampled on the writer’s room floor of “Knight Rider” circa 1985.

Swedish genre director Mikael Hafstrom’s delight at having life-sized Rambo and Terminator action figures to play with is palpable in this prison break flick. He covers their hushed conversations inside The Tomb, a seemingly inescapable prison fortress, in giant, lingering close-ups. We are not to miss a single flicker of chemistry that passes between these two longstanding human franchises.

Alright, the plot. Something about how Stallone’s character, Ray Breslin, is the world’s leading prison escape artist, hired to show correctional facilities their security weaknesses by breaking out of them. As negotiated by his boss ( Vincent D'Onofrio ), his latest assignment is to escape from what used to be called a “black site,” an uncharted holding facility for criminals no government cares to bring to traditional justice. The Tomb is a place for the “disappeared” among terrorists, warlords and high-level gangsters.

The Tomb is also one of those profiteering private enterprises, like Blackwater (which is mentioned as a source for its security personnel),which thrives on doing dirty work for the powerful. The script’s provocative political sentiment is that nations are irrelevant; bureaucracies like the CIA and the Bureau of Prisons exist only to front deals between what Noam Chomsky would call “unaccountable private tyrannies.” Hobbs ( Jim Caviezel ), an immaculate, soft-spoken sophisticate (who would have been played by Anthony Perkins in another era), runs the show when he’s not tending to his gorgeous butterfly collection.

Yeah, it’s a mishmash of good, strange ideas and generic nonsense, barely held together by Sly and Arnie. Here are the odd glories:

5. Character actor Vinnie Jones spoofing his numerous meathead/henchman roles, cycling between two expressions: indignation and sadistic glee.

4. A mini-“ Grand Illusion ” brotherhood plot thread involving Schwarzenegger’s alliance with a Muslim prisoner who ultimately goes out in a heroic blaze of glory, in the name of Allah,  in an American action film !

3. The way Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, as Sly’s “techno-thug” assistant, shouts, “That CIA bitch!”

2. The possibility that Caviezel, whose spectral presence gave “ The Thin Red Line ” its soul and has always seemed more suited to play Pasolini’s Christ than Mel Gibson’s, is pretending he’s in a mid-60’s European art film.

1. Arnold’s generally impish portrayal of the coolest OG in prison. To create a diversion for Sly to go skulking about the joint, Arnold rages inside his solitary ‘hot box” cell, delivering aderanged monologue about evil and reciting the Lord’s Prayer, all in mellifluous German. This spectacular performance within a performance suggests that Arnold could have taken over where Klaus Kinski left off .

That’s about it. The rest is something you’ve seen lots of, if you were an action fan in the 1980’s and ’90s with a functioning VCR or cable box. The fight scenes are standard wrestling matches punctuated by impalements or broken necks. The gun battles are without style or suspense. Inconsistencies in plot, character and physics are sewn up with quick cuts and the same techno-thriller musical score that has accompanied every action film for the past 15 years.

Like the “Expendables” movies, “Escape Plan” squanders its opportunities for genuine nostalgia because, I suspect, its stars don’t want to be remembered fondly for their old hits more than they want to show that they still got it, right here, right now.

They have no idea that we’d enjoy them bald, fat, winded after running up a short flight of stairs, playing with their grandchildren. We’d love to see these superheroes cop to age and vulnerability, to something more devastating than Vinnie Jones’ right hook.

Steven Boone

Steven Boone has written film criticism for over 20 publications in print and online, including The Village Voice, The Star-Ledger, Time Out NY and Salon.com.

• Vincent D’Onofrio as Lester Clark
• Sam Neill as Dr. Emil Kaikev
• Sylvester Stallone as Ray Breslin
• 50 Cent as Hush
• Vinnie Jones as Drake
• Matt Gerald as Roag
• Christian Stokes as Babcock
• Jim Caviezel as Willard Hobbes
• Arnold Schwarzenegger as Swan
• Mikael Håfström
• Miles Chapman

Leave a comment

Now playing.

Megalopolis

The Last of the Sea Women

The Wild Robot

We Live in Time

Look Into My Eyes

The Front Room

Matt and Mara

The Thicket

Latest articles.

TIFF 2024: Table of Contents

TIFF 2024: The Return, Riff Raff, The Friend

TIFF 2024: Shell, Mistress Dispeller, Vice is Broke

TIFF 2024: Emilia Pérez, The End

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 90% Speak No Evil Link to Speak No Evil
• 77% Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Link to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
• 95% Rebel Ridge Link to Rebel Ridge

New TV Tonight

• 78% How to Die Alone: Season 1
• 59% Emily in Paris: Season 4
• 50% The Old Man: Season 2
• 14% Three Women: Season 1
• -- Universal Basic Guys: Season 1
• -- My Brilliant Friend: Story of the Lost Child: Season 4
• -- Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Season 1
• -- The Circle: Season 7
• -- Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood with My Father: Season 1
• -- In Vogue: The 90s: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 60% The Perfect Couple: Season 1
• 77% Kaos: Season 1
• 100% Slow Horses: Season 4
• 85% The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• 93% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• 97% English Teacher: Season 1
• 95% Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 93% The Penguin: Season 1 Link to The Penguin: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The 133 Essential Spanish-Language Movies

RT Recommends: 46 Hispanic Movies to Watch With the Whole Family

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Transformers One First Reviews: The Best Transformers Movie Yet

The Penguin First Reviews: Colin Farrell’s Wild Performance Makes the Series a Must-Watch

• Trending on RT
• Best Horror Movies
• Top 10 Box Office
• Toronto Film Festival
• Free Movies on YouTube

Escape Plan

Where to watch.

Watch Escape Plan with a subscription on Peacock, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

As much fun as it is to see Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger team up onscreen, Escape Plan fails to offer much more than a pale imitation of 1980s popcorn thrills.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Mikael Håfström

Sylvester Stallone

Ray Breslin

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Emil Rottmayer

Jim Caviezel

Willard Hobbes

Movie Clips

More like this, related movie news.

• Become a Critical Movie Critic
• Movie Review Archives

Movie Review: Escape Plan (2013)

• General Disdain
• Movie Reviews
• 6 responses
• --> October 18, 2013

Hatching a plan.

If you are one to believe Sylvester Stallone (“ Bullet to the Head ”) can carry the role of a super-smart security expert then you are halfway to euphoria with his new film Escape Plan . If you’re not, surprisingly enough, the movie offers enough excitement for you to overlook that by continuing the recent trend of old guys forgetting names and kicking ass.

The other senior citizen laying out the bruises in Escape Plan is Arnold Schwarzenegger as Stallone’s unlikely ally. Stallone, you see, is Ray Breslin, the Harry Houdini to maximum security prisons. Basically, he — with some help from partners, Lester Clark (Vincent D’Onofrio, “ Sinister ”), Hush (Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, “ 13 ”) and Abigail (Amy Ryan, “ Win Win ”) — gets paid obscene amounts of money to test their designs and escapability and he has yet to meet four walls that can contain him. Showing people their flaws makes for some powerful enemies so under the guise of testing the latest off-the-grid, state-of-the-art design known as “The Tomb,” Ray finds himself trapped and at the mercy of a comically over-the-top villainous warden (Jim Caviezel, “ Transit ” ) and his enforcer guard (Vinnie Jones, “ Kill the Irishman ”).

Just in time, Schwarzenegger (“ The Last Stand ”), as a hulking, calculating German prayer reciting inmate, comes along to befriend our hero. Together (interesting fact that these Stallone and Schwarzenegger never really starred in a movie together in all these years), they scheme, probe and unmask the gaudishly lit aluminum and glass labyrinth and those that work to keep them confined within it.

It’s here where Escape Plan stumbles thanks to abject stupidity and excels due to some good old fashioned 80’s era action. Although this takes place in a box that is supposed to be the most impenetrable conceived, Ray happens upon things too easily and everyone tasked with locking him down do exactly what they aren’t supposed to do. A necessary evil, I suppose, but one that could have easily been written better. Mikael Håfström — not exactly known for directing action — handles the task well, which basically means he gets out of the way of his two action stars and lets them do what they’ve been doing for 30 years.

In a windowed cell.

And while both stars have their names atop the movie poster, Stallone is the star of the feature. The man still can’t successfully act his way out of a wet paper bag — not that he really has to in a movie like this — but he is nonetheless relatable and can still believably beat the living shit out of a guy half or three-quarters his age (which he is called upon to do more than once). Arnold, well he’s dragging ass a bit more than Sly, but he manages to get off a few of those heavily-accented zingers he’s adored for and tosses around a Gatling gun like he was a 40 year-old starring in “ Predator ” again.

Through their heydays Stallone and Schwarzenegger avoided each other and actively tried to one-up the other. I think now in their advancing age they’ll come to realize they need each other as Escape Plan is infinitely better than those half-baked solo efforts they did earlier this year. It’s also good enough to get me more interested in seeing these guys play together again in “ The Expendables 3 .”

Tagged: escape , guard , prison

I'm an old, miserable fart set in his ways. Some of the things that bring a smile to my face are (in no particular order): Teenage back acne, the rain on my face, long walks on the beach and redneck women named Francis. Oh yeah, I like to watch and criticize movies.

Movie Review: Ghosted (2023) Movie Review: Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) Movie Review: Fantasy Island (2020) Movie Review: Snatched (2017) Movie Review: Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) Movie Review: ABCs of Death 2 (2014) Movie Review: Life After Beth (2014)

'Movie Review: Escape Plan (2013)' have 6 comments

October 18, 2013 @ 7:05 pm Retro

I can’t do it.

Log in to Reply

October 18, 2013 @ 7:21 pm palpatate

This says Blu-ray release all the way.

October 18, 2013 @ 9:06 pm Heather V.

Give it up.

Sincerely, Fans of your classics who hate what you are doing to your legacies

October 21, 2013 @ 5:41 pm charlietuna

Not “guys” but “guy”. Stallone is the only one who can’t let go of his action star. Schwarzenegger appears to be embracing his old age and taking a step back from the chest thumping.

October 19, 2013 @ 5:27 am cryptonix

It’s a better movie than the Carrie remake, which isn’t saying much.

October 19, 2013 @ 11:44 am Vandal

Keep doing your thing – I love it!

Privacy Policy | About Us

 |  Log in

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

Escape plan: film review.

Aging action heroes Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger take the screen together in this pulpy retro-actioner from director Mikael Hafstrom.

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

The spirit of 1980s Cannon Films rises from the grave in Escape Plan . With Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger taking on roles that, back in those days, might have been played by Chuck Norris and Dolph Lundgren , it’s a chance to relive the cheesy look, demented plotting, cardboard characterizations and tacky style that characterized the lower tier of action filmmaking once upon a time. They just don’t make ’em like this anymore, and it’s a good thing, too. A portion of the Expendables audience will reliably turn out for this claptrap, but it really is a blown opportunity to do something at least amusing, if not special, with the two still-pumping muscle-bound legends.

Related Stories

'tulsa king' writer terence winter on season 2 changes: "this is where the fun starts", 'tulsa king' season 2 releases official trailer.

Devising a story that would enable Stallone and Schwarzenegger to share the screen for more than a few seconds, as in the first two Expendables installments, is the only justification for a jerry-rigged venture like Escape Plan. Stallone remains his customary taciturn self in the role of a high-security guru who gets himself incarcerated in allegedly escape-proof prisons just to ingeniously devise ways to get out. But Schwarzenegger, as the sharpest inmate in the most tightly sealed slammer of all, gets pretty amped up here in some of the dialogue scenes (notably one in which he switches into speaking German), suggesting he might be ready for some different sorts of parts than what he’s been known for in the past.

The Bottom Line Two former heavyweights can't lift the lame concoction.

PHOTOS: Senior Superheroes: 19 Action Stars Kicking Butt Past 50

Just as imperturbable as ever, Stallone plays Ray Breslin, the renowned author of the definitive tome on prison security, who somehow manages to anonymously get himself locked up in the toughest prisons in the United States (14 and counting) and then break out, thus exposing their deficiencies. His office partners who have his back are played by the not entirely convincing team of Amy Ryan , Vincent D’Onofrio and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson .

Normally, Ray is implanted with a sensor so that his partners know where he’s incarcerated. But when he accepts a lucrative invitation from the CIA to test his abilities in a secret, corporately run joint where really bad types are sent to permanently disappear, Ray ends up on his own there under the name of Portos (the fourth musketeer). The cells in this vast chamber, which bears a passing resemblance to the industrial core in Monsters Inc. , are clear glass, enabling the inmates to be seen at all times. If you’re really a bad boy, you get sent to cramped quarters where banks of bright lights keep you warm, toasty and virtually blinded the whole time. The place is presided over by the warden, Hobbes, a carefully attired, soft-spoken sadist played by Jim Caviezel as if planting the flag for any Anthony Perkins -like weirdo roles that might come along in the near future. Also on the staff are an English enforcer, played by Vinnie Jones , and a doctor ( Sam Neill ) who might not have particularly wanted this assignment.

Most of Ray’s time is taken up by Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger), who notices how Ray is always observing guard behavior and checking things out. Aside from chatting him up at meal time, Emil saves Ray from a violent mob but then engages him in a fist-fight (“You fight like a vegetarian,” he insults his smaller opponent) and finally engages in a joint effort to find the stir’s weak spot, not to mention where in the world they might be.

The interplay in the screenplay, by Miles Chapman and Arnell Jesko , ping-pongs between banal and dumb, but this is still preferable to the incoherence of the final stretch, in which Ray spends most of his time in a vertical chamber that keeps filling with and then losing water while mayhem breaks loose on board. The absurdities mount as director Mikael Hafstrom reveals who’s been in cahoots with whom (including the leader of a sizable group of Muslim prisoners), how they figure out their geographic location and how the good guys, as always, are so much more accurate shots than the company goons. And in one hour, any rewrite expert in Hollywood could have come up with a dozen better “Hasta la vista, baby”-type taglines for Arnold than the ultra-lame salutation he uses here.

Still, Schwarzenegger, sporting salt-and-pepper hair and a becoming goatee (there is actually a “Look for Mr. Schwarzenegger created by …” line in the final credits), comes across as unusually energized, much better than he did in his first post-governator starring vehicle, The Last Stand , which was released in January. Near the end, Rottmayer tells Breslin, “I hope I never see you again.” A feeble wish: The two stars will be back on screens together again next August in The Expendables 3 .

Production: Mark Canton, Emmett/Furla Films, Envision Entertainment, Bois/Schiller Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Sam Neill, Vinnie Jones, Faran Tahir Vincent d’Onofrio, Amy Ryan, Graham Beckel, Matt Gerald, Caitriona Balfe Director: Mikael Hafstrom Screenwriters: Miles Chapman, Arnell Jesko, story by Miles Chapman Producers: Mark Canton, Randall Emmett, Remington Chase, Robbie Brenner, Kevin King-Templeton Executive producers: George Furla, Mark Stewart, Zack Schiller, Alexander Boies, Nicolas Stern, Jeff Rice, Brandt Andersen Director of photography: Brendan Galvin Production designer: Barry Chusid Costume designer: Lizz Wolf Editor: Elliot Greenberg Music: Alex Heffes R rating, 116 minutes

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

‘james’ review: a slight but enjoyably quirky journey into vancouver’s criminal underbelly, elizabeth olsen is “happy” to return to marvel, but only “if there’s a good way to use” scarlet witch, ‘oh canada’ director paul schrader talks casting jacob elordi and richard gere for younger vs. older versions of same character, toronto: steven soderbergh on ‘jaws’ book, genre films and streaming success: “you’ve got to make good shit”, ‘uglies’ review: an appealing joey king headlines mcg’s routine dystopian ya adaptation for netflix, ‘$$$’ review: micro-budget indie about best friends on the brink rewards patience.

MOVIE REVIEW: Escape Plan

Sylvester Stallone is a professional prison escapologist. Now, cut off from his support team, he is in a super secret, super secure, sinister super prison, and must team with Arnold Schwarzenegger to escape. Simple set up, but is this movie worthy of the long wait to see these two action icons together?

Pros Fun seeing these legends together. Good supporting cast. Gets better as it goes along. Cons Writing and direction are uninspired. Action and thrills fall short.

READER RATING!

ESCAPE PLAN

Director – Mikael Håfström Writers – Miles Chapman and Jason Keller

Ray Breslin – Sylvester Stallone Emil Rottmayer – Arnold Schwarzenegger Hobbes – Jim Caviezel Javed – Faran Tahir Abigail – Amy Ryan Dr. Kyrie – Sam Neill Lester Clark – Vincent D’Onofrio Drake – Vinnie Jones Hush – 50 “Curtis Jackson” Cent

Escape Plan — Official Trailer 2013 — Regal Movies [HD] Opens October 18, 2013 Get movie tickets & showtimes: http://regmovi.es/18PQpzRAction superstars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger team up in the …

We’ve been waiting years, decades, for this movie. Stallone and Schwarzenegger together, cursing up a storm, and punching baddies in the face. Frankly, I’d’ve been okay waiting a little longer, until they had a slightly better movie to make. The novelty of seeing these two geri-action stars on screen isn’t quite enough to carry the movie. Too little too late…twenty years too late. Plus, the novelty has been significantly diminished by the Expendables movies. While this is better than the Ex movies, it’s not quite as much fun.

SLY AND ARNIE TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME, AGAIN

The cheesy font that “Escape Plan” comes up in is indicitive of what is to come. The main issue is that it really isn’t the most original of ideas, and it isn’t told in such a way that you can over-look the plot’s short-comings. While the actors are all quite good, but their characters are all rather thin, and what happens to them is a bit too predictable.

Sly and Arnie are both pretty good, with Arnie coming off a little better. The best bit of acting he’s done in decades is his few minutes speaking in German. It is surprisingly good. This is actually the best either of them has been in years, and they’re enjoying it too. Sly looks old though, while Arnie looks good with a beard. However, you do occasionally wish there were subtitles, particularly when they get all expositiony. It can feel a little like The Adventures Of Mumbles And Accent.

THE CAST ARE GOOD

Vincent D’Onofrio is cool, as always. That said, he isn’t exactly trying too hard to breathe life in to his character. 50 “Curtis Jackson” Cent is pleasantly acceptable, and has good chemistry with Sly in the few scenes they have together. Vinnie Jones isn’t half bad either, even if he is just playing Vinnie Jones. He is improving, and is definitely the best footballer-turned-actor I’ve seen. Jim Caviezel is cold, and gives the best performance in the film. He is better than the movie he’s in. The same could be said for Sam Neill. who is criminally under-used. And it’s nice seeing that Amy Ryan from season 2 of The Wire is still working.

The fault primarily lies with the writers and the director. The writers Miles Chapman and Jason Keller haven’t done much before, and it shows. The story developments, and “twists”, are all pretty obvious. It’s uninspired and predictable. Mikael Håfström has directed some acceptable horror movies (1408, The Rite), and does much the same here. It’s pretty much acceptable. The Tomb, which is the name of the fancy-pants inescapable prison (and was the original name of the movie), is kinda cool looking, with their the glass cells and what-not. The guards having masks is a nice sinister touch. That said, it also feels like a cheaper version of the Face/Off prison. There are a few cool moments to be had, and while it is action light there are still one or two good bits. It gets better as it goes along, and while you’re never bored, you’re never really gripped, thrilled, or particularly involved either.

BOTTOM LINE: IT’S ADEQUATE, BUT ULTIMATELY DISAPPOINTING

So…This is the might-see low-octane thriller of 1993. It’s not terrible, but it isn’t particularly good either. Sly and Arnie are good, as is the rest of the cast, but it doesn’t compensate for the uninspired writing and direction. It is cool seeing them on screen together, but just not cool enough.

What to say...born in the last year of the seventies, the decade of the best music and movies, Cathal's earliest memories are of movies and comics. Star Wars, Batman, Superman and Indiana Jones filled his childhood, and not a whole lot has changed. He lives in Dublin, with his supremely understanding wife. Cathal voice his opinions across the various corners of The IntarWebs: @CatHaloMovies on The Twitter; Cat Halo Movies on The FaceSpace; and on the Major Spoilers Forum, where all manner of opinions are aired by all manner of folk on a wide variety of topics.

Related Posts

Major spoilers podcast #1092: dark ride finale, red sonja: death and the devil #1 review, geek history lesson – canon: why it does and doesn’t matter.

Jim Cazaviel is easily one of the best actors out today, and criminally under used. He does cool and menacing soooooo well.

Loved him in the Jesus Chainsaw Massacre

I found the movie fantastic. I thought Arnold’s acting was great. There were only a couple plot holes and they were small. Maybe I’m just grasping at the final movies of these big action stars. I don’t really see anyone but maybe Dwayne Johnson stepping up to take their place.

Very entertaining movie and fun to watch Arnie and Sly !!!!

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Email me when someone replies to my comment

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed!

Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon!

Get us in your inbox

Sign up to our newsletter for the latest and greatest from your city and beyond

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions.

Awesome, you're subscribed!

The best things in life are free.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush).

Déjà vu! We already have this email. Try another?

Love the mag?

Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions.

• Things to Do
• Food & Drink
• Arts & Culture
• Time Out Market
• Coca-Cola Foodmarks
• Los Angeles

Escape Plan

Time out says.

The Austrian Oak and the Italian Stallion. Two mighty mountains of musclebound man-meat with mouths full of marbles, meeting for one final job... Oh, but it should have been better than this. The first feature-length buddy-up between Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger could have been a cause for global celebration, a last hurrah for two ageing icons sliding gracelessly into their late sixties. Instead, it’s a predictable, shoddy-looking beat-’em-up.

Sly plays Ray Breslin, a consultant hired to break out of US prisons to test their security systems. But when a job turns sour, Ray is forced to turn to grizzled fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer – guess who? – for assistance. Precisely why director Mikael Håfström was picked for this gig remains a mystery: his CV is packed with stodgy horror flicks, and he has trouble marshalling a convincing action sequence. ‘Escape Plan’ would have made a perfect vehicle for, say, a Chuck Norris or even a Jean-Claude Van Damme. But these two redoubtable, enormously watchable old-school heroes deserve better.

Release Details

• Release date: Friday 18 October 2013
• Duration: 115 mins

Cast and crew

• Director: Mikael Håfström
• Screenwriter: Miles Chapman, Jason Keller
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Sylvester Stallone
• Jim Caviezel

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Discover Time Out original video

• Press office
• Investor relations
• Work for Time Out
• Editorial guidelines
• Privacy notice
• Do not sell my information
• Cookie policy
• Accessibility statement
• Terms of use
• Modern slavery statement
• Manage cookies
• Advertising

Time Out Worldwide

• All Time Out Locations
• North America
• South America
• South Pacific

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Escape plan.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 6 Reviews
• Kids Say 13 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Arnie and Sly team up for lighthearted but violent action.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Escape Plan is an action movie starring two of the most popular veterans of action movies: Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not surprisingly, the movie contains tons of over-the-top violence, often without consequence. There's fighting, shooting, and blood. Prison guards…

Why Age 17+?

"F--k" and "motherf--ker" are used fairly often. "S--t" is also heard once or tw

Tons of over-the-top action-movie violence, with dozens of faceless guards being

Stallone flirts with Amy Ryan; there's a joke about her bad cooking and how he c

Any Positive Content?

Perseverance and teamwork are the positive themes. At one point, the main charac

These characters aren't really very admirable, resorting to violence without con

"F--k" and "motherf--ker" are used fairly often. "S--t" is also heard once or twice, as well as "ass," "crap," "towel head," "bitch," "balls," "scumbag," "faggot," and "a--hole."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Tons of over-the-top action-movie violence, with dozens of faceless guards being shot and killed. A fair amount of blood is shown, especially when one of the good guys is shot in the stomach, and one of the bad guys falls down a flight of stairs and smashes his head. The inmates fight a great deal with lots of punching and pummeling, the guards are shown beating inmates into submission. Some scenes take place in a doctor's office with bloody wounds being stitched up, or needles being injected. A character is tortured with a high powered hose in his mouth. There's also a big explosion.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Stallone flirts with Amy Ryan; there's a joke about her bad cooking and how he can "complain in the morning." Schwarzenegger initiates a fight by insinuating that a man's mother was his "favorite whore in Marrakech" who could really "polish a helmet," while he makes oral sex motions with his hands. He also makes a crude drawing of a naked butt to antagonize the warden.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Perseverance and teamwork are the positive themes. At one point, the main character loses heart and begins to think that maybe, this time, he can't do it. But eventually, with help from his friend, he gets his strength and his resolve back. He goes on to solve a tremendously difficult puzzle, against tough odds. However, the movie contains tons of violence with no consequences.

Positive Role Models

These characters aren't really very admirable, resorting to violence without consequences, though they both love their families and they seem like good guys under the circumstances. Both actors are still in really good shape for their late sixties, and they are good examples of what exercise and clean living can do.

Parents need to know that Escape Plan is an action movie starring two of the most popular veterans of action movies: Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger . Not surprisingly, the movie contains tons of over-the-top violence, often without consequence. There's fighting, shooting, and blood. Prison guards torture inmates, and bloody wounds are stitched up in a doctor's office. Language is also strong, with multiple uses of "f--k" and "motherf--ker" as well as minimal uses of other words. There's also some minor sexual innuendo, including references to a "whore" and a hand motion referring to oral sex. The mood is light, and the movie is dumb fun for fans. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (6)
• Kids say (13)

Based on 6 parent reviews

Action Packed and Thrilling

What's the story.

Ray Breslin ( Sylvester Stallone ) is an expert at prison breaking, posing as an inmate to break out of many high security prisons. To prove it, the movie begins with his latest escape. But then he gets a call to break out of a new kind of prison, and when he agrees, he finds he's been double-crossed. No one knows where he is and no one can help him. He meets a man called Emil Rottmayer ( Arnold Schwarzenegger ) and begins to cook up his latest plan. Unfortunately, this one will take several backup plans and several interactions with the prison's soft-spoken, sadistic warden ( Jim Caviezel ), as well as lots of fighting and shooting. But what does Rottmayer have up his sleeve?

Is It Any Good?

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone have a good banter and a believable camaraderie in this film. ESCAPE PLAN marks the first full-fledged teaming of the legendary action stars, after their brief moments together in The Expendables and The Expendables 2 . Though this movie is no work of genius, director Mikael Hafstrom pitches things just right, and the two actors are used to best advantage: loose, charming, and not too serious. The movie's two screenwriters cook up just enough puzzle pieces to keep brains busy, but the bulk of the movie concentrates on pure muscle, fighting, shooting, and explosions. (Ray isn't the most subtle escape artist on record.) A colorful gallery of supporting characters helps, ranging from Oscar nominee Amy Ryan to rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson . Like the best action movies of this kind, Escape Plan is dumb fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the movie's over-the-top violence . Does any of it seem too gruesome or disturbing for this kind of story? What is the reaction the movie is hoping for?

What is the appeal of these kinds of larger-than-life action movies and action stars? Why have people traditionally flocked to Stallone and Schwarzenegger movies?

Movie Details

• In theaters : October 18, 2013
• On DVD or streaming : February 4, 2014
• Cast : Arnold Schwarzenegger , James Caviezel , Sylvester Stallone
• Director : Mikael Hafstrom
• Studio : Summit Entertainment
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Run time : 116 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : violence and language throughout
• Last updated : May 15, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

The Shawshank Redemption

The Fugitive

The Great Escape

Best action movies for kids, thriller movies.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

• DVD & Streaming

Escape Plan

• Action/Adventure , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

• October 18, 2013
• Sylvester Stallone as Ray Breslin; Arnold Schwarzenegger as Emile Rottmayer; Jim Caviezel as Hobbes; Amy Ryan as Abigail; Sam Neill as Dr. Kyrie; Vincent D'Onofrio as Lester Clark

Home Release Date

• February 4, 2014
• Mikael Håfström

Distributor

• Summit Entertainment

Positive Elements   |   Spiritual Elements   |   Sexual & Romantic Content   |   Violent Content   |   Crude or Profane Language   |   Drug & Alcohol Content   |   Other Noteworthy Elements   | Conclusion

Movie Review

Ray Breslin is a guy prison wardens hate to see. He may look like your average hard-edged con when he walks through the gate, but he’s actually a fearsome fellow with MacGyver’s inventiveness and the physical discipline to find the soft spots in just about any prison security system. And that’s exactly what the Feds pay him to do: Go inside and find those chinks in a prison’s armor.

Ray has broken out of more penitentiaries than most people have ever even heard of. He wrote the book on it. Literally.

It all comes down to layout, routine and help . Ray studies the layout of the prison, maps the routines of the guards and prison personnel, and arranges a key bit of help from someone inside the facility or out. Then he snaps his fingers and he’s back home cashing his check.

So why not give it a go, this cellblock Houdini figures, when a CIA gal tosses a private, escape-proof prison gauntlet down at his feet.

After being drugged and taken to an unknown location, though, Ray wakes up to find himself in a place he never thought could exist. The cells walls are transparent and impervious, the prison layout is flawless, the guards are robotic, the murderous prisoners have been beaten into quiet submission and the warden is a sadistic overlord.

A sadistic overlord who’s read every word of Ray Breslin’s book.

Positive Elements

Even though he carries out hard-pounding, authority-confounding, seemingly criminal actions, Ray Breslin is one of the good guys. He does everything he does to better the enforcement and containment capabilities of prison officials. And it’s obvious that most of his prison-breaking business comrades are equally devoted to his cause … and his safety. When he falls off the grid during the private prison “case,” they work sleeplessly to find him again.

Ray tells of how the loss of his beloved family made him passionate about his job.

Spiritual Elements

A group of Islamic prisoners kneel and pray aloud to Allah. One of their number seeks out a Quran from the prison’s warden, and we see the man praying several times, asking for Allah’s forgiveness and blessing another inmate. He later says “God is great” to the warden, who responds, “Yeah, whatever,” before shooting him.

Ray’s fellow inmate and temporary partner Emile Rottmayer prays the Lord’s Prayer in German during a frantic moment. He also tells a story (again in German) of a man who repeatedly calls out, “I seek God.” Ray rips a page out of a Bible and burns it, using the ash to draw on a wall.

Sexual & Romantic Content

Ray’s colleague Abigail wears a cleavage-baring top. She invites Ray over to her house for a meal, slyly hinting that he can complain about her cooking … “in the morning.” Rottmayer tells a crude sexual joke while miming oral sex.

Violent Content

As you might expect, given its pumped-up stars, this prison-life actioner packs in quite a lot of hard-fisted beat-’em-up. Several riots are fomented by Ray and Rottmayer, the two bruisers exchanging mighty blows. Ray is attacked by several large men, one of them carrying a shiv. He slams their faces into posts and walls, and ends up stabbing one of them in the shoulder with his own weapon. Ray has his leg sliced open, and we see a close-up of a doctor stitching it painfully back together. Ray also has a transponder injected into his arm—just before another man slices it back out with a box cutter.

Guards smash inmates (including Ray) in the head, face, shoulders, back and legs with heavy billy clubs. Bones are broken and noses gush blood. One large man is left with blood-streaming gashes on his forehead and cheeks before he falls face first to the floor. Another is tortured and almost drowned by a water hose in an extreme version of waterboarding. Guards also get out their automatic weapons during a riot, killing quite a few inmates. Ray, Rottmayer and another man grab weapons of their own and shoot back.

Exploding barrels of fuel erupt, setting a ship deck on fire and crisping at least one man. A car explodes and erupts in flames.

Crude or Profane Language

Well over 50 f-words and a half-dozen s-words are mixed in with a handful each of “a‑‑,” “h‑‑‑,” “b‑‑ch” and “d‑‑n.” A couple of guys flip the middle finger. A crude reference is made to male genitalia.

Drug & Alcohol Content

Prison guards smoke cigarettes on several occasions. A doctor drinks a large glass of alcohol. Ray has a needle full of a knock-out drug jammed into his neck. Tear gas is used on a crowd of rioting prisoners.

Other Noteworthy Elements

Rottmayer draws a picture of a bare backside, indicating where prison officials can find the information they’re seeking.

Sly Stallone and Ahnold Schwarzenegger do hard time in a high-tech slammer. Yeah, it could be easily argued that they’re both way past their slug-fest prime, but it’s easy to accept that these seasoned movie icons still have all the grit and beef needed to take on yet another crazy challenge. We’ve seen these guys save the world with ease in one slam-bam actioner after another, after all. So when it comes to a few wrinkles, a pair of sagging jawlines and a couple dozen ruthless prison guards, ha, that’s nothin’. And indeed, the likeable pair fill their roles with plenty of squint, flex, mumble and charm.

Escape Plan’ s basic story can be counted as something of a plus, too. The prison-break buddy tale isn’t unique, but it keeps a few twists tucked away in its prison uniform pockets to make the ending worthwhile. And the MacGyver-esque puzzle solving, real-science escapes, and character surprises all add panache.

And this time around, the guy breaking out should actually be breaking out!

The punch in the face, though, comes in the form of all those elements that earn this pic its hard-R rating. Scores of onscreen men are repeatedly “beaten,” “tortured,” “bloodied” and “killed,” all for our “enjoyment” and “entertainment.” And the prospect of sitting quietly in a theater seat just so you can be mercilessly pummeled by bare-knuckle obscenities would set even Rocky Balboa back on his heels.

Hmmm. Seems like this one’s pretty expendable after all.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

Latest Reviews

Transformers One

The Killer’s Game

Speak No Evil

Weekly reviews straight to your inbox.

Escape Plan (2013)

Directed by mikael hafstrom.

• AllMovie Rating 5
• User Ratings ( 0 )
• Your Rating
• Overview ↓
• User Reviews ↓
• Cast & Crew ↓
• Streams ↓
• Related ↓

Description by Wikipedia

Escape Plan is a 2013 American prison action thriller film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, and co-starring Jim Caviezel, 50 Cent, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio and Amy Ryan. It was directed by Swedish filmmaker Mikael Håfström, and written by Miles Chapman and Jason Keller. The first film to pair up Stallone and Schwarzenegger as co-leads, it follows Stallone's character Ray Breslin, a lawyer turned prison security tester who is incarcerated in the world's most secret and secure prison, and recruits fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer, portrayed by Schwarzenegger, to stage a breakout. The film is the first installment of the Escape Plan film series.

Official Site

Related movies.

Alternate Titles

Escape Plan (2013)

Movie Details

Stream & watch escape plan.

Trailers & Clips

Cast & Crew

Escape plan collection.

The Escape Plan film series are composed of action-thriller movies based on characters created by Miles Chapman and Arnell Jesko. The films are centered on a businessman and skilled structure engineer name Ray Breslin, who is best known for being the world's greatest escape artist. Breslin also helps design detention centers with the most intense levels of security. The series stars Sylvester Stallone, with a supporting cast including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dave Bautista and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson as members of Breslin's team. Courtesy Wikipedia®

Featured News

Similar Movies

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

Screen Rant

Escape plan.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Summit Entertainment Lionsgate

escape plan 2

Lionsgate

Summit Entertainment Lionsgate

pg-13

116minutes

Reviews (0)

Have You Watched It?

Be the first to leave your review.

Your Rating

Sylvester stallone, arnold schwarzenegger, latest stories, sylvester stallone's 5-year-old action sequel completely ignored the previous movie's huge ending twist, stallone & schwarzenegger’s 11-year-old prison thriller becoming a franchise repeated fast & furious' box office miracle, escape plan 2 totally lied about sylvester stallone’s sequel role (& the movie still failed), why arnold schwarzenegger didn't return for escape plan 2 (& what happened to his character), every schwarzenegger & stallone movie, ranked worst to best, sylvester stallone's escape plan movies, ranked worst to best, why escape plan is stallone's worst action franchise, every sylvester stallone / dave bautista movie, ranked, related titles.

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

BABY REINDEER

Your comment has not been saved

Have you watched it?

Be the first to leave a community review!

‘Escape Plan’ (2013) Movie Review

By Brad Brevet

Escape Plan is a dumb, but satisfying, theatrical equivalent to any recent direct-to-video actioner featuring above the line talent that used to be known for their star power. As for the film’s leads, I think it’s safe to say the “star power” of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger ‘s is looking quite dim as of late as I’m sure even they would admit Escape Plan is no substitute for the myriad of solid films these two churned out 20-30 years ago. It is, however, their aging personas that give audiences familiar with their classic work any reason to see this movie, as one slow motion shot of Arnold just before he lays waste to an onslaught of prison guards becomes the film’s signature moment.

Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a man with a certain set of skills, those being the ability to break out of any prison placed in front of him, a talent that has just awarded him and his team a $5 million contract. Breslin, as it turns out, actually wrote the book — as in the actual , physical book — on how to design a maximum security prison, but it seems all his knowledge is about to be used against him as his next assignment gets underway.

Almost immediately Breslin’s tracking chip is destroyed and his partners ( 50 Cent as a “techno thug” and Amy Ryan , because she probably had nothing better to do) have lost him. Breslin is on his own and a few flashes later, he’s locked away in a plexiglass cage at a privately owned, maximum security prison. The key to this place, however, is that it was designed by a man ( James Caviezel ) who keeps Breslin’s book handy at all times. That’s right, Breslin has become his own worst enemy!

Imprisoned under the name Portos, an assumed terrorist, Breslin eventually meets fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger) and it isn’t long before he realizes not only is this prison damn near impossible to break out of, it seems he may not be supposed to… or is he?

This is actually where the story begins to fall apart and I’m not even sure I could adequately explain it as I’m still not entirely sure what actually happened. Suffice to say, the end goal remains escaping from the prison and we’ll leave it at that.

Escape Plan is essentially Stallone as “MacGyver”, using his vast knowledge (which is impossible to believe) to conjure up makeshift items such as sextants out of a pen, some eyeglasses and a rubber band. It’s all rather laughable, but I don’t think we’re ever meant to take this very seriously. I’m still not entirely sure why James Caviezel , as the hard-ass prison warden, was mounting butterflies while listening to a piano concerto, but I guess that’s what bad guys do to unwind?

To look for any measure of logic in this film, outside of ridiculous plotting and narrative-propelling momentum, is a waste. In this sense, director Mikael HÃ¥fström does a decent job keeping things moving while quickly steam-rolling over the more convoluted parts as I’m not even sure he, or writers Miles Chapman and Jason Keller could succinctly explain the overall plot.

Perhaps what was most interesting to me was the way the film rarely played up the idea we were watching a movie starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not only that, while the two have starred alongside one another in The Expendables franchise, this is the first time they have really been together the entire time and it’s a situation where it could have gotten bogged down in Stallone and Schwarzenegger “moments” — “I’ll be back”, “Why don’t you try knocking me down now?” or “Get to the choppa!” None of that. Instead, they play on their iconic film personalities, Schwarzenegger much more than Stallone, the latter of which is still pretty much just a slurring thug, running around mean-mugging folks, but it works well enough and, I guess, is pretty much the cinematic personality he’s known for.

Schwarzenegger, though, is lighthearted for much of the time and gets off a few solid one-liners. He has a great little scene opposite some heat lamps while in solitary and then there’s the slow-motion mowing down of the bad guys that caps the whole thing off.

No, Escape Plan isn’t good in the sense I would immediately urge you to run out and see it, but as a matinee diversion and certainly as an at home rental it will more than satisfy anyone that looks at the marketing and is fully aware of what they’re in for. In fact, while the end result is rather average, I expect most people will come away saying they had quite a bit of fun with it.

Share article

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Escape Plan

• When a structural-security authority finds himself set up and incarcerated in the world's most secret and secure prison, he has to use his skills to escape with help from the inside.
• Ray Breslin is a man who has devoted his life to making prisons inescapable by going into a prison as an inmate and trying to see if he can break out. And he has done a good job so far. A woman who says she works for the CIA approaches Ray and says that a new maximum security prison where the worst criminals are to be incarcerated, is about to be launched. So she wants him to go and make sure no one can get out. He agrees. So they make the necessary preps but when Ray arrives at the prison, he discovers that someone doesn't want him to get out. He then tries to find a way out but he needs help. Another prisoner, Rottmeyer becomes friendly with him. And they decide to work together to get out. — [email protected]
• Ray Breslin is a renowned specialist in prison breaking in high-security facilities. He owns a company with his partner Lester Clark and he works with his coworkers and friends Abigail and Hush. Breslin follows three basic rules to escape: to know the layout; observe the routine; and get internal or external support to the getaway. Then he delivers a report with the flaws in the system to his client. Breslin and his team are visited by the CIA agent Jessica Miller that offers five-million dollars to him to test a state-of-art facility. Breslin accepts the challenge but soon he learns that he was double-crossed. The cruel prison ward Hobbes gives special attention to Breslin, following the instructions of his client and uses his right arm Drake to break Breslin. But the inmate Rottmayer gets close to Breslin and helps him to find a way to escape and find who betrayed him. Will they be well succeeded in their intent? — Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Having committed himself to searching for weak spots in the reliability of high-security prisons, Ray Breslin, the man with the unusual talent, faces yet another challenge. Should Ray accept, he will have to infiltrate and attempt to break out from the "Tomb", one of the government's uncharted and impregnable prison forts, where the world's worst criminals are left to disappear. Under a new name, Ray arrives at the top-secret facility of the sadistic warden, Hobbes, only to realise, right from the start, that he is double-crossed, lured into a trap and an inescapable fate. Under those circumstances, to have a fighting chance, Ray will have to trust the mysterious cell-block inmate, Emil Rottmayer, to come up with an audacious escape plan that could save them both. But, can the bold escape artist make it out alive this time? — Nick Riganas
• Former prosecutor Ray Bresli is the leading authority and author on prison security, and as penitentiary escape artist the partner of Lester Clark in the firm hired by the US federal authorities to test high-security prisons from the inside, never failing. Against his own guidelines, he accepts to be hired by the CIA to test their novel 'inexistent' black site The Tomb, without his team getting any information. His tracker is ripped out during transport to the cruel underground site run by warden Hobbes, who denies any knowledge of the agreed extraction protocol and keeps him locked-up indefinitely, unless he can find out the identity of the elusive hacker who may crack the entire bank system. Ray agrees but actually concludes an escape pact with toughest prisoner Emil Rottmayer. Both must fight to get into isolation and play warden, prison doctor Kyrie and some stooge prisoners, while senior jailer Drake develops a personal grudge for Ray. Inititial scouting only shows the task worse the expected, as they're aboard a decommissioned tanker. — KGF Vissers
• Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) is a former prosecutor who co-owns Breslin-Clark, a Los Angeles-based security firm specializing in testing the reliability of maximum-security prisons. He spends his life getting into prisons to study their designs and the guards' habits to find and exploit their weaknesses, thus enabling him to escape without a hitch or a victim. He claims his goal is to ensure that criminals sent to prison stay inside by eliminating the weakness of every prison. One day, he and his business partner Lester Clark (Vincent D'Onofrio) are offered a multi-million-dollar deal by CIA agent Jessica Miller to test a top-secret prison and see if it is escape-proof. This prison has been specifically designed & privately funded by the CIA to incarcerate terrorists in remote locations around the globe. The existence of these prisons is not acknowledged by the US Govt. Breslin goes against all his own rules and chooses the money, when Clark mentions that CIA is willing to pay double his usual fee for the assignment. He agrees to the deal and gets himself captured in New Orleans, Louisiana, under the guise of a Spanish terrorist named "Anthony Portos", but the plan goes awry when his captors remove the tracking microchip from his arm and drug him on the way to the prison, which thus disables him from ending the experiment by proving his identity. Breslin wakes up in a complex of glass cells with no outside windows to indicate the prison's location. He meets fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger), and they both stage a fight for Breslin to study the solitary confinement cell, which uses high-powered halogen lights to disorient and dehydrate prisoners. Dr Kyrie is the ship's physician and is more sympathetic to prisoner's plight than the others. He treats Rottmayer & Breslin after their numerous stints in the "hole". Seeing that the cell floors are made of aluminum, but the rivets are steel, Breslin has Rottmayer procure a metal plate from Warden Willard Hobbes's (Jim Caviezel) office floor before the both of them and Muslim inmate Javed are once again thrown into solitary. Hobbes is after the identity of Victor Mannheim, who is supposed to be a renowned terrorist and Rottmayer's boss. Before going into solitary Breslin tells Rottmayer about his real identity and tells him that someone has betrayed him & he is going to escape the facility to find out who it was. Using the metal plate, Breslin focuses the reflection from the lights to heat the rivets and pop open the floor panel to reveal a passageway below. He goes through the passageway and discovers that the prison is inside a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean, making a simple escape impossible in case of a possible break down. Breslin and Rottmayer continue to study the complex by learning the guards' daily routines. Breslin gives Hobbes false information about Rottmayer's boss, Victor Mannheim. Clark and Hobbes have been in touch where Clark has given explicit instructions to Hobbes to keep Breslin in the prison. Meanwhile, Breslin's colleagues Abigail Ross and Hush (50 cents) grow suspicious of Clark when Breslin's paycheck for the job is frozen. They discover from hacked documents that the prison, code-named "The Tomb", is owned by a for-profit organization linked to an unnamed privately owned security provider, and Clark was offered a US$5 million annual salary from them in exchange for keeping Breslin behind bars. Back in the prison, Hobbes reveals to Breslin that he is aware of his identity, and with chief security officer Drake watching him, he wants to ensure that Breslin stays for the rest of his life in prison. Rottmayer has Javed convince Hobbes to bring him on deck to do his nightly prayer when he actually uses a makeshift sextant to get the ship's latitude. Using the latitude and observations of the weather, Breslin and Rottmayer deduce that they are in the Atlantic Ocean near Morocco. Breslin visits the infirmary of Dr. Kyrie and convinces him to help him and Rottmayer escape by sending an email to Mannheim. Breslin then transmits a false tap code message from his cell, giving Hobbes the impression that a riot will occur in cell block C. With majority of the security stationed at cell block C, Javed instigates a riot at cell block A, giving him, Breslin, and Rottmayer time to run toward the deck while a lock-down is initiated. Breslin kills Drake, but Javed is shot dead by Hobbes and his men during their escape. Breslin goes to the engine room to reboot the electrical systems, giving Rottmayer time to open the deck hatch while a helicopter sent by Mannheim engages in a gunfight with the ship's crew. Rottmayer boards the helicopter while Breslin is flushed to the bottom of the ship by the automated water system. The helicopter picks up Breslin, but when Hobbes starts shooting at them, Breslin kills the warden by shooting and blowing up a group of oil barrels in front of him. They land on a beach in Morocco, where Rottmayer reveals that he is actually Mannheim, Miller is his daughter, "Portos" was a code-word used to alert Mannheim that Breslin was an ally, and Hobbes was originally unaware that Breslin's cover story was fake. Later, at a Moroccan airfield, Ross informs Breslin that Clark had fled, but Hush tracked him in Miami, and locked him in a container aboard a cargo ship.

Contribute to this page

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore, recently viewed.

Escape Plan (2013)

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Escape Plan

Not available

Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) is the world's foremost authority on structural security. He's analyzed nearly every high security prison. After being framed by persons unknown, all of Breslin's ingenuity and expertise are about to be put to work in the most challenging test he's ever faced: escaping from a high-tech prison facility that's design is based on his own protocols. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Emil Rottmayer,a complex inmate with multiple shades of gray. He's the guy who fights to keep the prisoners from losing their humanity in their darkest hour as they struggle together to stay alive. Jim Caviezel plays Hobbes, the warden of the Tomb. This is the type of prison facility that deals with inmates that no government wants on its books. The lead guard of the maximum-security facility, Drake, is played by English actor and retired footballer Vinnie Jones. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson plays Hush, Ray Breslin's right-hand man and high-technology expert. Buttoned-down with street lurking just below the surface, Hush is aptly named because when he speaks, it is just above a whisper...but it's a whisper with attitude and edge that can turn from soft to drop dead serious in the blink of an eye. Vincent D'Onofrio plays Lester Clark, Breslin's business partner and CEO of B&C Security, their independent security company hired by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to test the integrity of their maximum-security facilities nationwide. Amy Ryan plays Abigail Ross, jack-of-all trades and one of Beslin's closest confidants at B&C Security. Sam Neil is cast as Dr. Emil Kaikev, the prison doctor embedded within the Tomb, who is sympathetic to Breslin's plight.

Two of the Biggest Action Heroes Competed to Be 'the Nicest Guy on the Set' Filming This 2013 Movie

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone had been rivals for a long while before competing in a different way on Escape Plan.

Predator 4 Gets 50 Cent?

Rapper and actor 50 Cent insists he's ready to fight The Predator, but 20th Century Fox hasn't announced the casting yet

Liam Neeson Will Fight Terrorists in A Willing Patriot

Liam Neeson is in final talks to star in the action-thriller A Willing Patriot, playing an FBI agent trying to outsmart a terrorist.

John Wick Directors Wanted for DC Movie, Is It Aquaman?

John Wick directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch are reportedly being courted to direct a DC Comics movie, which may be Aquaman.

Supergirl Casts Iron Man Actor as the Commander

Faran Tahir has joined the cast of CBS' Supergirl as The Commander, an alien military expert who squares off with Kara Zor-El.

Cowboy Ninja Viking Lines Up John Wick Directors

Universal is in early talks with John Wick directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski to direct Chris Pratt's Cowboy Ninja Viking.

The Prince Interview with 50 Cent | EXCLUSIVE

50 Cent shares his experiences on the set of The Prince, and how he sometimes has trouble getting back into character in a new interview.

Ant-Man: Is White Power Dave One of the Villains?

Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King actor Matt Gerald has joined the cast of this Marvel Phase Three adventure, but will he be reprising his role?

50 Cent Joins Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham in Spy

The rapper/actor will play himself in this spy comedy about a female CIA analyst who heads into the field for the first time.

34th Annual Razzie Awards Nominations Announced!

The Razzies celebrates summer bummers, Tonto, Lindsay Lohan and Going IndieGoGo! Next year's award ceremony will be televised.

Tom Cruise and Director Joseph Kosinski Reunite for Go Like Hell

Michael Mann was once attached to the project back in 2011. The story centers on the racing rivalry between Ford and Ferrari in 1966.

Escape Plan Review

While the sum might not be equal to its parts, Escape Plan manages to deliver, although not at the level you might expect for two huge action stars.

Two Escape Plan Clips Featuring 50 Cent and Amy Ryan

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger break down the prison guards' routines. Plus, the meaning behind the original title is revealed in these scenes.

Three Escape Plan TV Spots

Sylvester Stallone plays a security expert framed for a crime he didn't commit. Can Arnold Schwarzenegger help him escape?

Escape Plan Clip 'Ray Breslin Explains It All'

Ever want to learn how to break out of prison? Sylvester Stallone lays out the perfect 'escape plan' in just a few easy steps.

Escape Plan Clip 'I Can Draw You a Map'

Arnold Schwarzenegger toys with James Caviezel during this interrogation scene from director Mikael Hafstron's action-thriller.

Escape Plan Infographic 'The Perfect Escape'

The world's authority on structural security must break out of his own impenetrable prison, starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Its Schwarzenegger Vs. Stallone in First Escape Plan Clip!

A fist fight between these two action icons is all just part of the plan, in theaters October 18th.

Two Escape Plan TV Spots and a New Poster

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Scwharzenegger team up to break out of an impenetrable prison in director Mikael Hafstron's action-thriller.

Two Escape Plan Posters with Stallone and Schwarzenegger

The action icons buddy-up in this thriller that promises no one breaks out alone.

• Movie - Escape Plan - 2013

Escape Plan  (2013)  خطة الهروب

• 116 minutes
• Release Date: 30 October 2013 (US) (more)
• Genre: Action (more)

When a security expert is double-crossed and wrongfully imprisoned, he finds himself facing the biggest challenge of his life: breaking out of one of the most secure prisons in the world.

• Mikael Håfström (Director)
• Miles Chapman (Screenplay)
• Jason Keller (Screenplay)
• Sylvester Stallone
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• 50 Cent / Curtis Jackson
• Jim Caviezel
• Vinnie Jones
• More Parts:
• Escape Plan 2: Hades
• Escape Plan: The Extractors

Watch Online

• 1999 - Series

•   (Ray Breslin)

•   (Dr. Emil Kaikev)

•   (Emil Rottmayer)

•   (Hobbes)

•   (Drake)

•   (Abigail)

• Faran Tahir
•   (Javed)

• Matt Gerald
•   (Roag)

• Graham Beckel
•   (Brims)

• Vincent D'Onofrio

• James Caviezel

When a security expert is double-crossed and wrongfully imprisoned, he finds himself facing the biggest challenge of his life: breaking out of one of the most secure prisons in the ...Read more world.

• Release Date:
• US [ 30 October 2013 ]
• United Arab Emirates [ 10 October 2013 ]
• Egypt [ 30 October 2013 ]
• Lebanon [ 10 October 2013 ]
• Censorship:
• Adult Supervision
• Is this a coloured title?:
• Box Office:
• 263,289 (more)

This is the first film in which Schwarzenegger and Stallone co-star in lead roles.

• 'Bad Grandpa' tops 'Gravity' at North American ...

• From his bed of sickness Schwarzenegger officia...

• Buy tickets
• 2023 Summary
• Riyadh Season 2023
• Now Playing
• Coming Soon
• Egypt Box Office
• Infographic
• Video Gallery
• Ramadan, Eid & Seasons
• Ramadan 2024
• TV series 2024
• Fitr Eid Movies 2024
• Riyadh Season 2024
• Adha Eid Movies 2024
• Egypt Cinemas
• UAE Cinemas
• Kuwait Cinemas
• Lebanon Cinemas
• Bahrain Cinemas
• Qatar Cinemas
• Saudi Cinemas
• Oman Cinemas
• Jordan Cinemas
• Iraq Cinemas
• About elCinema.com
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Privacy Policy

Reset Your Password