It’s easy to understand why this film might be overshadowed by later prison escape movies like *The Shawshank Redemption* and even *Prison Break*, but *Escape From Alcatraz* still deserves recognition as a solid film. I really enjoy prison break stories, which is clear from my appreciation for those two productions that build on the concept; *The Shawshank Redemption*—a personal favorite—certainly seems to have drawn heavily from this one, and I noticed several parallels. The cast delivers a strong performance from Clint Eastwood. Patrick McGoohan is well-suited to his part, while Paul Benjamin and Larry Hankin are standouts among the supporting players. I wish the characters of Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau had been more fleshed out; they felt somewhat superficial. Danny Glover also appears in a very small role, marking his first onscreen acting credit. I thought the film’s pacing was well-handled. While the plot's trajectory is predictable, I still found myself on edge during the escape sequence. The atmosphere of the movie is another strength, with only one minor exception: an early scene featuring a rather obvious lightning strike when a character mentions Alcatraz—it’s just a small detail and my only real criticism. It's worth noting that this was the last time Eastwood and director Don Siegel worked together, following *Coogan's Bluff*, which proved to be a very successful pairing; I consider this 1979 film and *Two Mules for Sister Sara* to be their best collaborations.

Source on TMDB