RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
88 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:56

Fresh:49

Rotten:7

Average Rating:8/10

Rated: 15

Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:17-09-2004

Synopsis: In writer-director Frank Darabont's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late... In writer-director Frank Darabont's THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. However, only Andy knows that he didn't commit the crimes. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy--a taciturn banker in the outside world--has to learn to get by in the brutal, cutthroat confines of prison life. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates--most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman)--and even much of the prison staff. But Andy's seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom. This beautifully crafted movie features touching and sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about humanity's indomitable spirit and the redemptive value of hope. Based on the novella RITA HAYWORTH AND SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION by Stephen King, Darabont's intriguing adaptation is easily one of the finest films of the 1990s. [More]

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, James Whitmore, Gil Bellows, Mark Rolston

Director: Frank Darabont

Director: Frank Darabont
Screenwriter: Frank Darabont
Story: Stephen King
Producer: Niki Marvin
Composer: Thomas Newman, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Shawshank Redemption

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by comments; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

...a throwback to the kind of serious, literate drama Hollywood used to make.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Freeman, in particular, is exceptional. His performance is so unshowy it can easily go unnoticed, but it's the soul of Shawshank.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
09/14/04
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Why are these men in jail?

Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS) | comment 37 Comments
02/09/06
Jake Euker
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

Beaches for straight men.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment 25 Comments
10/16/04
Ed Gonzalez
Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine

It wanders down subplots at every opportunity and ignores an abundance of narrative exit points before settling on the aforementioned finale.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment 10 Comments
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post

Drawn in straight, brutal lines.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment 8 Comments
12/17/04
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

The Shawshank Redemption continually abandons plausibility in order to celebrate the triumph of hope over despair, of decency over cruelty, of justice over injustice.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment 5 Comments
05/20/03
Leonard Schwarz
Leonard Schwarz
Palo Alto Weekly

I have not read Stephen King's novella (his first non-horror), but some of the movie's deficiencies, such as the old-fashioned morality tale and portentous messge about camarderie and redemption--must have been in the source material.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment 1 Comment
01/13/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Rarely rises above the overbearing, obnoxious and trite.

Full Review Source: Projection Booth | comment 1 Comment
06/20/09
Rob Humanick
Rob Humanick
Projection Booth

In truth it's the purest Hollywood hoakum--a sunny, heart-tugging hymn to that old chestnut, the indomitability of the human spirit.

Full Review Source: Movieline | comment Comment
01/09/02
Movieline

It's a simple story elegantly, cleverly told, not to mention expertly acted.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
09/24/04
Boston Globe

A 'life-affirming' tale about life imprisonment, The Shawshank Redemption is the kind of old-fashioned entertainment that is easily overvalued in an era of diminishing expectations.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
06/28/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Hollywood.com

One of the greatest films ever committed to celluloid.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
04/02/01
Andrew Howe
Andrew Howe
eFilmCritic.com

No review available.

comment Comment
04/08/03
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)

No review available.

comment Comment
04/07/03
Brian J. Arthurs
Brian J. Arthurs
Beach Reporter (Southern California)

When the film’s conclusion starts to unfold, you suddenly realize that this is one of the more inspiring films you’ve seen in a long time – yet you don’t feel the least bit manipulated.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

Shawshank is what might be described as an ethereal prison picture, if that's not an oxymoron.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

It is able to sustain itself throughout its duration and to keep you enraptured with its remarkably hopeful story.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

The Shawshank Redemption works not only as an excellent prison drama, but as a metaphor for overcoming our own private prisons.

comment Comment
01/25/06
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by comments; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Shawshank Redemption

July 02, 2008: Total Recall: RT Celebrates the Bill of Rights
We the people of Rotten Tomatoes, in order to make this Independence Day more perfect, do ordain and establish this Total Recall as a cinematic tribute to the Bill of Rights. More...

May 15, 2008: Cannes 2008: Darabont Back Behind Bars
Frank Darabont is heading back to prison for a crime thriller that is selling international rights in Cannes this week. More...

November 30, 2007: Frank Darabont and Stephen King Reteam for Long Walk
Directing three Stephen King movies (four, if you count an early short film) wasn't enough for Frank Darabont. Perhaps cinema's biggest fan of the horror author, the Mist... More...

November 21, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Enchanted Leads Packed Holiday Weekend
This weekend For the first time this decade, a new release seems set to take over the number one spot during the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend at the North American box... More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
24
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
126
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
181
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
90
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
70
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
65
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
63
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
44
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
44
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
8
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Shawshank Redemption at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Shawshank Redemption at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.