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THE
LAST CASTLE
The Last Castle is as good an analogy of Christ as I have seen
in a movie in some time. General Irwin is a wonderful Messiah
figure. He seeks to set the captives free. Those that choose to
follow him are eventually set free, not in a physical way but
instead in more of a spiritual way.
Review by Mike Furches
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THE LAST CASTLE
(2001)
This page was created on October 23, 2001
This page was last updated on
May 17, 2005
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 Directed
by Rod Lurie
Story by David Scarpa
Screenplay by David Scarpa and Graham Yost
Robert
Redford .... General Eugene Irwin
James Gandolfini .... Colonel Winter
Mark Ruffalo .... Clifford Yates
Steve Burton .... Lt. Peretz
George Scott .... Thumper
Addison Pate .... Prisoner
Nick Kokich .... Private Neibolt
David Alford .... Corp Zamorro
Samuel Ball
Maurice Bullard .... Sgt McLaren
Paul Calderon .... Dellwo
Directed
by Rod Lurie
Produced by Robert Lawrence (producer), Don Zepfel (executive producer)
Original music by Jerry Goldsmith Mark McKenzie (orchestrations)
Cinematography by Shelly Johnson
Film Editing by Michael Jablow and Kevin Stitt
MPAA:
Rated R for language and violence.
Runtime: USA:131
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QuickTime
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(14.7
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The Last Castle:
Original Motion Picture Score
- Jerry Goldsmith
1.
The Castle 2. Irwin Arrives 3. The Rock Pile 4. Get Behind The Mule
- John Hammond 5. Let's Go Ladies 6. Full Alert 7. Military Justice
8. The Count Down 9. Hold Them 10. Taking Command 11. The Flag 12.
September 11, 2001 13. Chiseled In Stone - Dean Hall
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A
Castle can only have one king
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Premise:
A three-star general (Redford) wrongly court-martialed and sentenced
to a military maximum-security prison rallies the 1,200 inmates
to revolt against the corrupt warden (Gandolfini) and his guards...
(Ruffalo plays a pilot asked by the warden to snitch; Penn plays
Redford's daughter).
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 Review
by
MIKE FURCHES
mike@furches.org
Web site www.furches.org
Mike is the Senior Pastor at United at the Cross Community Church
in Wichita Kansas. United at the Cross is a church made up of individuals
not often accepted in other churches. The church consists of former
gang members, drug addicts, prostitutes and others. Mike also speaks
nationally on various topics and is a freelance writer. To learn
more about Mike and his ministry link onto www.furches.org.
In the arts Mike has worked with top music artists such as Steppenwolf,
Marshall Tucker Band, Kansas and has an active interest in film.
Mike is pictured with his music band "Route 66." His reviews
include The Mummy Returns. Amistad,
The Apostle, Armageddon,
The Cell, Hurricane,
Dr Dolittle 2, ELO
-Zoom, Frequency, The
Patriot, Pearl Harbor, Rush
Hour 2, Shrek, Extreme
Days, The Last Castle, Serendipity,
Ali, Reversal,
Harry Potter, Lord
of the Rings, Jimmy Neutron,
Mothman, Black
Hawk Down
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 Despite
our best efforts the reality is that we have all made mistakes. Even
the best of men are not perfect. The Last Castle is a movie that constantly
reminds the viewers of the consequences of their actions and their
need for deliverance. It is also a film that questions when is enough,
enough? Robert Redford plays the part of General Irwin who is wrongfully
imprisoned for insubordination after pleading no contest in his court
marshal case. At
first, Warden Colonel Winter, played exceptionally well by James Gandolfini,
is excited that a legitimate war hero is going to be in his prison.
He believes that he and Irwin have much in common but it isn't long
before he realizes that the attributes that made Irwin a great and
respected general are not what Winter had envisioned. The maximum-security
military prison has many problems and, following an old military tradition,
it doesn't take long for Irwin to learn that the stench starts at
the top. |
 Colonel
Winter is a military man who refuses to see the good in any of the
inmates. He also focuses on the wrong they have done as opposed to
the potential they might have. While it is true that each inmate is
born into sin and has committed sin, it is also true that each has
been appointed a gift that is of value and needed for the cause of
the many. After all, the Marines and Armed Services only take in good
men. It is just that sometimes those men and their talents need more
development than what they are given opportunity for. |
 General
Irwin does not initially have the desire to rekindle his old military
background. He is content to serve his sentence and get out to spend
time with his grandson and daughter. While he is ready to abandon
his training it isn't long before his own value comes to the forefront.
The inmates know that Irwin has an ability that they don't and they
desperately want and seek his leadership. While he has to earn it
for many of the men it is after he is willing to show that he is there
to serve them and help them that others jump on board. They quickly
realize the value of servanthood and determination.  Irwin
even refuses the offer of freedom from a friend who is Colonel Winter's
superior officer. He instead chooses to stay at the prison and take
on the enemy, Winter, for the sake of his fellow inmates. The inmates
see this and know that Irwin is willing to lay his life down for them
and they quickly realize that there is no greater love that anyone
could have. Irwin has a way to show outsiders, inmates and other guards
the deceptive nature of the enemy. While Irwin has an obvious understanding
of Colonel Winter, Winter never truly understands where Irwin's real
power comes from. |
 Irwin
sees the value of each individual and begins to provide the leadership
that has as its main point of focus, the abilities and talents of
the inmates. They are each uniquely gifted and Irwin even sees gifts
in those with disabilities and character flaws. It isn't long before
those individuals realize they have strengths and talents they can
offer to the good of the community. They begin to see their own abilities
and talents and those of their fellows after Irwin has opened their
eyes.  General
Irwin becomes, in many ways, like a pastor developing the strengths
of his congregation to overcome an enemy - an enemy that gives the
appearance of an angel but is really covered with darkness. While
Irwin thinks that he would rather give up on his own purpose and intent
he knows that he has a mission of deliverance for the inmates he is
there to serve. He knows that someone has to set them free from the
darkness of Winter. It isn't long before the true colors of Colonel
Winter come through. He represents death, destruction, pride, revenge
and power. He has no grasp of servanthood and refuses to see or accept
his own imperfections. |
 General
Irwin plays a wonderful Messiah figure in The Last Castle. He seeks
to set the captives free by serving and leading them. Those that choose
to follow him are eventually set free, not in a physical way but instead
in more of a spiritual way. Jesus said, "I come to seek and save the
Lost." He was also willing to offer Himself up as a sacrifice not
just for the sins of each person in the world but also so each person
could find spiritual freedom from the captivity of their sins.  While
Irwin can't give eternal life to the inmates the analogies are still
many. There is a final fiery battle where deliverance is possible
but sacrifice will be required. The Last Castle provides a wonderful
opportunity to begin discussion with seekers as to the similarities
between Irwin and Jesus. While Irwin falls far short, there are enough
comparisons that the point of Jesus sacrifice could easily be brought
home. |
 The
Last Castle is as good an analogy of Christ as I have seen in a movie
in some time. It is far from a perfect movie but it is still a very
good one that should do well in the box office. The old Tennessee
State Prison gives a good example of the Hell that many live in. It
also shows a wonderful picture of spiritual deliverance and the sacrifice
that is required for freedom. |
| While
not perfect I'll still give it a good spiritual rating of 7.77 |
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METAPHORS
OF IMPRISONMENT
Subject: Last_Castle
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001
From: TAOR
I appreciated the insights offered by your review. This story is
reminiscent of other great prison tales, notably Malamud's "The
Fixer" and Solzhenitsyn's "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch,"
in which the unjust suffering of a good man points to the hope of
redemption. I agree also with your comment about sin as imprisonment.
One is reminded of Paul's statement to the Galations: "Before this
faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith
should be revealed."
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OFFICIAL
SITE
The Last Castle © 2001 DreamWorks. All Rights
Reserved.
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