According to users of IMdB, Frank Darabont’s 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest film ever made, with a 9.3/10 rating. But while it is one of my favorites, it certainly is not perfect. Don’t get me wrong; the power of the story is striking, and the writing is phenomenal. There is only one gripe I have about the film: the ending. Once again, if you haven’t seen this particular film, read at your own risk.
Now normally, I’m a fan of the twist. It works in films such as Memento, Fight Club, and The Usual Suspects. Hell, I even thought it worked well in The Dark Knight Rises. But The Shawshank Redemption, a film about life in prison? Well…it works, but not perfectly. Shawshank may have a good ending, but it sure as hell isn’t the best.
Why? Because Shawshank isn’t a thriller; it’s the story of a life. Shawshank rivals films such as Schindler’s List and There Will Be Blood for amount of power, and neither of those have twists in the end. Shawshank could’ve ended with Andy or Red sacrificing himself or something. And by something, I mean I’m not entirely sure how Darabont could’ve ended it. It’s a hard one to figure out without being too sappy or too fake. Maybe one day I’ll be blogging about how Shawshank should’ve ended , but for now I’m not sure. For now, I’ll just bitch about my dissatisfaction.
Darabont didn’t take the easy way out, if that’s what I seem to be implying. Like I said, I don’t think the ending sucks. In fact, I find it daring and smart. But it just doesn’t go with the feel of the rest of the film. It’s not what you expect to happen, but it is certainly what you want. I, like all other viewers, wanted Andy to escape. Or, at least I felt like I did.
The ending of Shawshank is satisfying to most. Andy escapes, yes!! But a twist doesn’t go with Shawshank’s message. Perhaps Andy could’ve staged an escape plan, and all his friends are free except for him. Now that would’ve been good. So do I think Shawshank sucks? Absolutely not. In fact, I’d call it one of the best. But with the setback of the ending, it’s certainly not the best.
An Outsider 