Brute Force

Directed by Jules Dassin, Brute Force details the punishing conditions within an overcrowded prison and follows several inmates, led by Burt Lancaster’s Joe Collins, as they hatch a daring escape plan. It’s inherently compelling subject matter that’s employed to progressively engrossing effect by Dassin, as the filmmaker, working from Richard Brooks, delivers a deliberately-paced endeavor that admittedly does suffer from a somewhat hit-and-miss midsection – with the narrative boasting a handful of stretches that are perhaps not quite as taut as one might’ve preferred. It’s worth noting, however, that Brute Force benefits substantially from its array of engaging protagonists; Lancaster’s typically commanding work here is matched by an eclectic yet sterling roster of periphery players, and it’s clear, certainly, that Brooks does an effective job of fleshing out the various men on Joe’s crew through a series of well-placed flashbacks. (The entertaining atmosphere is undoubtedly perpetuated by a smattering of tense, engrossing sequences, including a spectacularly entertaining scene involving the murder of a known informer.) By the time the exciting and surprisingly action-packed finale rolls around, Brute Force has confirmed its place as a mostly stellar prison picture that remains one of the best entries within an exceedingly well-worn genre.

***1/2 out of ****