Robert Redford portrays Irwin, a general stripped of his rank and confined to a military prison following a court-martial stemming from an African operation where eight soldiers died under his command. He finds himself at odds with the warden, Winter, played by James Gandolfini, setting in motion a slow build toward conflict. Initially, Irwin’s only desire is to serve out his sentence, but witnessing the arbitrary and occasionally deadly practices within the prison leads him to collaborate with the other 1200 inmates to form an organized resistance—potentially even aiming to overthrow the administration. The opening thirty minutes are handled effectively; the opposing forces establish their positions in what feels like a strategic intellectual contest. Unfortunately, this strong start quickly diminishes into a rather unbelievable story filled with plot inconsistencies and events that strain credulity, culminating in an ending that borders on theatrical absurdity. Redford employs a restrained acting style, delivering a serviceable performance with minimal dialogue—and little of anything else, really. Gandolfini, however, fails to convince as a senior officer lacking both compassion and a realistic understanding of the situations presented by director Rod Lurie. Clifton Collins Jr. provides the most compelling portrayal among the cast as the troubled Aguilar. I struggled to understand the purpose behind Mark Ruffalo’s character, Yates—perhaps my interest had already waned by that point. It seems this might have worked better as a novel, allowing readers to fill in the blanks and develop their own interpretations of the characters. As a film, though, it feels primarily designed to showcase a star who isn't performing at his peak, all within a narrative that pushed my suspension of disbelief too far for too long.

Source on TMDB