This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So, so, so good. The adaptation of the Stephen King novel is so entertaining, filled with interesting dialogue and plot twists. A pretty much perfect prison film. Great performances by Robbins and Freeman. One moment really got to me: the moment when Andy crawls out of the sewer tunnel and stares up at the sky in the rain. Such a glorious moment of triumph, I wanted to stand up and scream "Yes!". This movie truly depicted that prison life in the fifties was just as hard for new prisoners as it is implied today. The movie didn't sugar coat Andy's prison life. A great movie full of great writing and performances that the first time you watch it, it will instantly be fortified as a great movie classic.… Expand

"Shawshank Redemption", a sensational movie containing a strong plot, powerful performances, and the ultimate theme of good and evil, is a masterpiece.

This movie makes being cliche look badass, and is so well constructed on top of that, you pretty much have to give it credit as one of the movie masterpieces of our time. But seriously, it's not the greatest movie ever made *cough*imdb*cough*

The Shawshank Redemption tells us about friendship and loyalty in a context where nobody can trust anyone because, as we know, in the prisons the fittest are the stronger ones. Our best friend today can be our worst enemy tomorrow. Moreover, it is one of those movies that makes clear how far an intelligent man can go. Only the most cynical can remain indifferent!

The greatest movie in the world may have been depressing in some parts, but it has such a good story. The seven ocars it was nominated for, should have been won to it.

One of my personal favorite movies of all time. Far from being boring or slow, this movie made the 2+ hours pass in a flash. Robbins and Freeman are both incredible in their roles.

Perhaps my favourite movie of all time. Absolutely brilliant.

One of my favorite movies of all time. One of the best feel good movies around and also a dramatic masterpiece. A nice break from the horror adaptations of Stephen Kings books.

One of the greatest prison movies of all time (along with The Green Mile), and one of the greatest movies of all time in General. The performances are stellar, the plot is sensational and moving. The Shawshank Redemption is Morgan Freeman's masterpiece. As the cover says, "Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free."

I can watch it over and over, great characters.

An incredible movie, should have gotten better than its 80/100 from critics... I was surprised.

The shawshank redemption is a brilliant film that is beautifly acted with and insiring and uplifting message message of hope. in my opiniun the film should have at least one oscar to show for it's brilliance. it is truly sad that know one could see how superior shawshank is to the wearisome forrest gump. i think that if shawshank had been realeased more recently it would have hands down won best picture it is one of the few films that are worthy of being called perfect… Expand

Incredible.....the music, acting, story, and the overwhelming message that there is always hope in any situation.

A seriously good film bringing more meaning into how important life out of prison really is and yet how scary anything all the way to being a grocer assistant can be, especially for ex-cons. This movie was studied by my English class in high school everything even down to the lighting cues and the heightened sounds resembles power: who can dominate and who can't. Outstanding Movie, stinks that they had to add the extra bit at the end, the original ending was way better. but fine, shows you that critics comments do play vital parts on a movies wellbeing.… Expand

Simply the best movie ever. Perfect!

Brings Stephen King's novella to life and even better. The Shawshank Redemption is a fantastic movie and rightfully belongs in the list of The Greatest Movies of all time.

Although it does seem to go on for too long, there is that much to it that you miss some of it on the first time you watch it. The ending isn't clear until it actually happens, whereas in most films you can usually guess what will happen. The cleverness behind it all still amazes me every time I watch it.

(9.5) If you like a movie that makes you hate the world and/or feel stupid for watching it, this movie is not for you. If, on the other hand, you think there might be the teeniest hope for humanity yet--by all means, watch this movie again and again.

One of the most gripping.

My most favorite movie. Never tire seeing it again and again.

It's one of the best movies ever made, but the dvd extras are lacking. I'm surprised there hasn't been a re-release by now.

This film is so insistent in its approach and pervasive in its factual appearance that critiquing it would in some manner have to involve cheap shots. It's manipulative, and perhaps Dufresne could have been better played, but the values the film intends to actualize are presented so precisely that it is my advisory to suspend judgement. Not that it's a perfect film, but as a whole it's so much greater than the sum of its parts. … Expand

Good.

The best movie of all time.

One of the best movies ever made. I saw this on the day it came out having heard nothing about it except it was nominated for about 7 oscars. It completely blew me away and for weeks i couldn't stop talking about it. If this had been properly advertised it would have made 5 times what it did. I'm not surprised that in most recent polls it comes in the top 3 best movies ever. If i could give it 11 out of 10 i would. If i could recommend to you one movie you MUST see before you die it is this one. Beg, borrow, rent or buy but WATCH THIS MOVIE.… Expand

The BEST movie I have ever seen. If you have not seen it, go rent it NOW. Andy Dufresne is the bomb!

This is my favourite movie of all time. I absolutely adore it.

Lots of different issues can be raised from this one movie; corruption, the judicial system, prison life, life after prison, love, human rights, education, determination, hope, security.....the movie is full of meaning. Dufresne the character, is so interesting, it makes the movie an interesting watch.

"The Shawshank Redemption" is one of those rare films that ages better with time. People talk about this film more now than when it was released in 1994. The acting, writing, cinematography, direction, music, editing and everything else makes this as close to a perfect film as you can get. The themes of redemption, fear, and ultimately hope are universal. "Forrest Gump" is a great film, but this SHOULD have won Best Picture. Unforgettable and beautiful.… Expand

This film is the pinnacle of entertainment. This is raw acting with no special effects yet it's better than most films that come out today because the performances. Completely essential. Plus, I love the ending as it is one of the greatest twists in cinema.

I laugh at people that denote this move, "over-rated." I have seen some high quality movies through my long journey with life, and Shawshank Redemption is by far the best I have ever had the privilege of having a gander at. The twists and turns of the movie inspire and transpire emotions that can only be explained through high production values and excellent writing. The musical score is on par with some of the best films every created. It's too bad some folk resort to hating on popular films, no matter how great, for the sake of being rebellious towards the movie. … Expand

Some say it goes on too long, i say it was too short... in a word, beautiful.

"The Shawshank Redemption" is one of those rare films, where you can tell from the opening credits, the first chords of the soundtrack and the first voice-over line from Morgan Freeman, that you're about to witness a movie of exceptional quality. The story, the characters, the accompanying (and at times) solemn soundtrack: each component strengthens and supports the other, the grand total making it an excellent movie. Love it or hate it: It's the stuff that classics are made of.… Expand

The movie is brilliantly acted with and equally well written screenplay and plot. it has an inspiring message of hope and a suprising twist at the end. so benny m. you can screw yourself OKAY!!!!!

Shawshank Redemption is one of the greatest films of all time, and certainly the greatest picture I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. The storyline takes you from rock bottom to possibly the most rewarding, perfect ending ever - without being tacky or direct; the film is an eloquent masterpiece, and one you will never forget.

Wow - a near three-hour movie that bears constant rewatching. A true classic.

The best film in the last 10 years. So what if it's a little sentimental?? It's just great storytelling.

Great movie about prison life, also great characters in Red and Andy Dufresne. Also great acting especially by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins.

No perhaps about it, it IS my favorite movie of all time. Victimized at the box office only by its difficult-to-market name, this should have been more successful. As it worked out, it became hidden gem that really only got respect through word-of-mouth video rentals and on television. There's a reason this one shows up 10 times a week on cable: it's a true classic, a masterfully told story about the human spirit.… Expand

This deserves more than a rating. i have watched this movie a over 20 times in the 9 years since its release and this movie if no ther shows just how crappy Oscars and other awards are as this should be heralded for what it is: a modern cinema classic, i have yet to meet one person who disliked it, Robbins reserved Brilliance and Freeman just seems to be a testament to the wisdom of age. If you haven't seen this film then shame on you. … Collapse

It's good.

My favorite movie of all time.

Amazinnggg!

A truly superb movie, that is only let down by the over-optimistic ending. True, characters from the novella are condensed, eliminated or changed, but usually for the better. Still, I feel that the movie should have ended about five minutes before it did (with Red still on the road).

This film is infinitly watchable again & again. Word of mouth made me watch this movie, an A+ classic.

I saw this movie when it first came out in the theaters and evey since I have considered it my personal favorite movie ever!

Spectacular!

La mejor película de todos los tiempos (The best film of all time).

I didnt enjoy it as much as I should of, but I know this is a great film.

This movie is beautiful, genius and brutal. It shows what prison life is like at the time which may not be innovative because obviously it has been done before but it still is a movie that is lightened up by the superb and versatile actings of Tim Robbins (Andy Dufrane) and Morgan Freeman (Redd). The movie is sad and long but shows that if you live in prison you are still just trying to live the life you already had. The movie is a jolly tale of friendship, violence (including torture and isolation) and last but not least genius.… Expand

Just a great inspirational movie about the power of hope. This grown man cries everytime I see it.

i cant believe this film is not in the all time top 10 this is a truely great film with a great feel good ending, morgan freeman is immense!

This movie is possibly the most moving movie I ever watched. I think Morgan Freeman really made this movie what it is, with one of his best performances ever.

Grim though an uplifting movie... an amazing like fairytale of incarceration and emancipation. Brillant! Morgan freeman is an absolute legend.

The Shawshank Redemption is a powerful and uplifting, not to mention Oscar-worthy film. In 2006, it was ranked as the greatest film ever by Empire, a film magazine. The year it came out it was nominated for 7 academy awards but did not win a single one because of a movie you may all remember, Forrest Gump. The success of Gump may have overshadowed this movie in the 90

This movie is the one that if I see a 1/2 second on TV, I can't change the channel. Morgan Freeman is incredible, his best preformance I have seen from him. Tim Robbins plays Andy well as a man suffering the "time and pressure aspect of prison. The supporting cast is so good. They really make the movie a great success. Should be among the top 100 of all time.

This is one the most watchable movies of all times. Morgan Freeman is miraculous.

Good.

One the finest motion pictures ever made in the history of cinema.

Just great, the same about novel.

The best movie I've seen in years.

Simplemente, una narrativa envolvente y unas actuaciones poderosas, facilmente podria seer la mejor pelicula de todos los tiempos.

I can watch this movie more than any other. Perfect.

Beautiful. Moving. Amazing score. Don't listen to any criticism. Watch it for yourself. Period.

One of my favorite movies of all time. I highly recommend it.

Best all time. Everytime you watch it you find more to like about it.

Quietly moving, yet startlingly beautiful, this tale of a man's quest for redemption and the incontrovertible power of hope is, without a doubt, one of the finest cinematic achievements of the modern age.

Masterpeice.

its completely flawless!!! after watching this movie recently on my computer, i cried. i cried not because it was sad, but because it was suck a beautiful and perfect movie. i really dont see why it didnt get best picture, i will admit that forrest gump was a very good movie that i almost cried from watching (because it was sad), but its not better than shawshank. there was 1 thing that the movie didnt need (Brooks out of jail), but it did add a new and important theme, so i guess i take that back. yea, this movie is perfect… Expand

Banker gets two life sentences for killing his wife & her lover, quiet in jail, gets beaten up, makes friends with "fixer", does the books for the guards, upsets prison boss, prison boss makes things unpleasant....
Terrific film which I had never seen all the way through. Quality acting throughout from all the cast (Clancy Brown is scary whatever he plays) & it really does drag you in from the start.
It's funny, tragic & heart warming, very well written & a film you could go back to again & again.… Expand

Probably one of the best films I have ever seen in my young life. Giving this a 10 won't do it justice. The Shawshank Redemption is just pure story telling at its best. No wasted moments and no pause of time ,just absolute, pure narrative. The cast is perfect with Morgan Freeman as Red completely stealing the show with his soothing narration style while Tim Robbins gives out a really great performance; a falsely convicted man who keeps it to himself. A film about hope and friendship in the toughest of situations, Shawshank is uplifting, provocative and awe inspiring. An absolute must watch.… Expand

I can see why people have voted this their all-time favourite movie. I was actually amazed that by the time the credits rolled at the end that I had been sitting there for over 2 hours. The time flied by very fast. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman were fantastic and were very convincing in their roles. Freeman's voiceovers throughout truly made me, as a viewer, understand what he and the other prisoners were feeling and going through. The story was adapted extremely well from Stephen King's novella and is a story in which many meanings can be taken from it. Easily a film that I will watch over and over again.… Expand

Wow. this movie is so good that i can't even describe it. How emotionally attached at the end of the film it almost made me cry. It is by far the best Morgan freeman movie ever. One of the greatest films of all time. They way that the director per-trades the way prison is is incredible. The way of how friendship is so powerful.

This truly is a masterpiece. And not much more needs to be said than that. If you haven't seen this yet, you are missing out on one of filming's finest moments.

A beautifully personal film with fantastic acting and a well crafted story makes this film deserved of all the praise it has received over the years. It really should have won Best Picture.

Im not gonna claim this is the best movie ever made, but its close.
The story sucks you in, and yes, it is quite a long movie but you really dont notice it at all. It grips you and doesnt let go until the very end.

This is an absolute classic film and deserves to be seen by anyone even remotely interested in movies.

The greatest movie set in a prison I've ever seen! Its full of courage from Tim Robbins to survive prison and no matter what the differences between him and Morgan Freeman and all the other prisoners, no matter what violence comes up, no matter their crimes, no matter what crazy or illegal things they have to do to survive prison, no matter what the warden does to Tim Robbins, together prison is awesome and they can redeem themselves. Movies like this show what would happen if prisoners accept people's differences and redeem themselves from their crimes and that's good thing because people don't need to act like idiots in prison. Despite the graphic violence in this movie in the beginning, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman used friendship to forget prison and made each other good people and they were great people! Whoever does NOT like this movie is a bully and needs lighten up because this is a light-heart movie of teaching you the lessons of prison.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bottom Line: #1-ranked masterpiece on IMDbâ… Expand

This movie is completely amazing, everything was perfect, and the ending, the way he escaped jail, just fantastic, original, awesome with great performances, Morgan Freeman just kicked ass in this film, Frank Darabont was able to write such an amazing story, so I' am very happy with the final result of this movie.

Great movie with fantastic performances by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. My all time favourite and a film that you will not easily forget. If ou really want a film whereas you gain a real connection to the characters than this is the film for you.

The greatest movie set in a prison I've ever seen! Its full of courage from Tim Robbins to survive prison and no matter what the differences between him and Morgan Freeman and all the other prisoners, no matter what violence comes up, no matter their crimes, no matter what crazy or illegal things they have to do to survive prison, no matter what the warden does to Tim Robbins, together prison is awesome and they can redeem themselves. Movies like this show what would happen if prisoners accept people's differences and redeem themselves from their crimes and that's good thing because people don't need to act like idiots in prison. Despite the graphic violence in this movie in the beginning, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman used friendship to forget prison and made each other good people and they were great people! Whoever does NOT like this movie is a bully and needs lighten up because this is a light-heart movie of teaching you the lessons of prison.… Expand

Dear God what a film this, i watched this for the first time and the end was the best moment in a film ever. This film once again shows Morgan Freeman's immense talent.

www.unsungfilms.com, by Eleni Antonaropoulou
Just to get things straight, when Pandora opened the box, all evils were released into the world but Hope. Hope remained in the box. So, if Pandora wasnâ

A film about hope. It is definitely one of the greatest prison films of all time. The movie delivers great messages and displays concepts, like the concept of justice, very well. Freeman and Robbins both deliver great performances, and both portray seemingly likable characters. This film is just very well written and just overall an excellent production.

This is a 10 out of 10. This is one of the greatest, and one of my favorite movies of all time. Acting is phenomenal. Especially by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. Score is good. The story is really, really good. It can be sad, it can be cheerful, its just great. This movie is the most robbed movie ever in the oscars. Deserved at least a few awards,in my opinion Best picture. Overall, this is an amazing movie. It just breathtaking how good it is. You really, really need to see this movie. You won't be disappointed. This is highly, highly recommended.… Expand

Powerful, emotionally satisfying, and thought-provoking, "The Shawshank Redemption" is a timeless classic that gets better with every viewing. It has a profound message about hope, and is truly wonderful to behold. "The Shawshank Redemption" is the best movie of all time.

Epic win! Every time I watch it I still get nervous during the roof scene, the beatings, and the escape. This film pulls you into another place and time and it creates a memory that you can revisit. Perfection.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This film is definitely one of the best ever made. It may not be a film for everyone, especially if you are more of a hardcore action kind of person, but even if you are this is such an inspirational film that you should really try it. The plot is a bit obvious, you can definitely tell that the main character was going to get away somehow, but it doesn't matter because all the little twists, or unexpected actions make it riveting anyway.… Expand

An excellent, near perfect film which helps show us that there can be good in anybody, you finish it feeling all warm inside.

As good or great as this movie is a lot of people tend to overlook 1 major flaw,i.e the very pc race relations potrayed which make this film a little inauthentic,there isn't even a hint of racism in the movie and considering the time period this movie is set in,america from the late 40's to the late 60's,it feels the director and writer darabont did not want to bring up the racism issue in order to dilute the feel good factor of the film, hence the race relations in this film feel fake.… Expand

This film can be summed up in one word (or several similar adjectives): resplendent! It is so well conceived, developed and confirmed that unless you were bored by it (!!!) you could not rate it any other way. A totally immersing and rousing movie that is one of the finest films I have seen. My belief in this is strengthened by the fact everyone I know feels the same way.

[***PLOT REVELATIONS***] I can't remember when I first saw this film but, my god, is it a god damn good film. The film tells the story of a wrongfully imprisoned man trying to live on the inside. He then starts to befriend a lifer that "knows how to get things". Thus, the wrongfully convicted, Andy Dufresne, begins to live on the inside and try to work on his old hobbies. Andy then helps a guard with some financial trouble which then starts to make other guards want his financial advice. Eventually, The warden wants Dufrenes' help. The warden then starts to launder money but have Andy cover up the tracks by creating a fake person. I don't want to reveal any more of the plot so let me just say this, this is a really good movie about prison, a REALLY good movie. The plot was deep and beleviable. This film could have been a true story for all we know (it isn't but wouldn't that have been awesome). The characters were all deep and showed a lot of human character and emotion except for one guy who played a big part in the role but they didn't work on him a lot. The acting was also really good making every character seem real. The only reason I'm not giving this movie a 10 is for two reasons. 1 Is for the guy who made the movie have a big plot twist but he wasn't developed as much as everyone else. Secondly, the ending was really sappy and didn't fit the movie at all. The ending felt just horrible while the whole movie was a work of art. The Shawshank Redemption is an easily recommendable title with few people actually hating it (but if you do please don't blame me).… Expand

Really good movie. Morgan freeman has the perfect narrating voice and it's very well made drama, even if it's a simple prison movie.

This movie is about a prisoner Andy Dufresne (Tim Robins) who gets accused of murdering his wife and her lover. He meets another prisoner named 'Red' (Morgan freeman) who says he know how to get things. How ironic, a â

This is one of my top 10

This movie is outstanding! It was very entertaining and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It didn't have all the key elements sadly but other than that, GREAT! thats all i have to say. if you know more about it, look at the 9 and above reviews. They know what they're talking about.

Based on a short, non-horror, novel by Stephen King The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a young banker sentenced to life imprisonment for apparently murdering his wife and her lover.

Shawshank Prison is a depressing place where brutality from guards and other prisoners is commonplace. With help from friend Red (the brilliant Morgan Freeman) he is able to gradually win both prisoners and guards over to his side. Above all this movie is a story of hope but the brilliant central relationship between Andy and Red lifts it well above virtually any other film. Add that to top notch production values and a fantastically satisfying ending and you have one of the best movies in cinema history.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. no words that i can think of even comes close of how amazing this movie really is. its funny, thrilling and bone chilling. what i really love about this movie is that you really feel for the characters as if they were family. when brookes committed suicide i was holding on a pillow shouting NOOOOO. best movie i have ever seen. no movie comes close to this masterpiece. not godfarther, LOTR, goodfellas, star wars, or indiana jones. a perfect movie.… Expand