Why do Professional Critics Hate "The Shawshank Redemption"?

[Schlosser85]

No, because people do genuinely think it's that great. That's why there's this thread in the first place. Cause the majority loves the movie so it's odd to hear from those that don't.

It'd be like hating on The Godfather as not great, it's weird.

They're entitled to their opinion.

 

[Evil Twin]

There are hundreds if not thousands of great movies. If one movie doesn't make some arbitrary list, it doesn't mean it's hated.

I do think there are some reasons that work against The Shawshank Redemption that aren't unreasonable.

1. Frank Darabont isn't considered any kind of significant auteur based on his body of work and critics tend to conform to auteur theory to one extent or another.

2. I don't think the prison movie (or Stephen King adaptations) is a significant enough genre that it needs to be represented in some list. It's not part of some larger movement like the French New Wave or German Expressionism either where a vote for it draws attention to the movement as well. The Shawshank Redemption represents The Shawshank Redemption alone.

3. The Shawshank Redemption isn't innovative in any way. It doesn't really have influence either. Casablanca isn't really innovative either, although it has some added war time resonance, but nobody points to The Shawshank Redemption and says "this new film is clearly possible because The Shawshank Redemption showed the way."

4. The Shawshank Redemption is really a home video / cable success story rather than a cinematic success story. It's small in scope as well. Nobody really talks about a retrospective run or includes it as part of film festivals. The conversation about it is elsewhere than where you find critics.

5. There really isn't that much critical discussion of the film. It works like gangbusters emotionally, but is anyone writing papers on the hidden symbolism and workings of the film? I don't think there's ever going to be a Room 237 about The Shawshank Redemption.

6. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are good actors, but they're not cinematic icons. There's not much study of their filmographies.

 

[Bobber]

It's not very good. That's why.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Looking at the AVF list and that list is seriously off if it's trying to capture the overall seen as best films of the 90s rather than just one poster's opinion. Stormship Troopers is on there yet they passed over Jurassic Park?

 

[Piper Maru]

A friend of mine hates The Shawshank Redemption, "because it's always on tv!"

Doesn't make any sense to me, but whatever.

 

[marcvader]

Love it. Definitely in my top 20 ranked somewhere between 15-20. Who cares if others don't like what you like. It doesn't make you wrong or your opinion less than theirs.,

 

[Still Wynning]

The first time I saw this, about six years ago, I didn't even know it was a critically acclaimed film, and I still ended up loving it. I still consider it one of my favorite films.

 

[danoyse]

I saw The Shawshank Redemption about a month before it opened in theaters. It was one of those screenings where the audience isn't told what movie they're seeing until they're in the theater.

The woman sitting next to me had never heard of it, asked if I had. She looked terrified when I told her that it was written by Stephen King. But I said, "Oh no, it's not one of those! It's from the same book Stand By Me came from." She looked very relieved.

I loved it. I still think it's one of the best Stephen King adapations, and it's one of my favorite movies. (the woman sitting next to me at the screening cried at the end and said it was "wonderful")

It actually kind of flopped when it was first released. I remember being so disappointed it hadn't done well when it came out. But after the Oscar nominations, it got a second life in theaters, and the rest is history.

 

[bullets]

I've always thought it was a good film , but never one of my favorites.

 

[113]

Greatest movie ever made imho. I put it right next to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and Do the Right Thing.

The professional critics don't know what they're talking about.

 

[Maximus One]

Morgan Freeman not a cinematic icon??!!

 

[DarkKnight88]

They're entitled to their opinion.

Missed my point.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Morgan Freeman not a cinematic icon??!!

Yeah, I was going to respond but I just decided to ignore that part of the post.

 

[Tanin]

Morgan Freeman not a cinematic icon??!!

I love his narration voice work.
Through the Wormhole is amazing.

 

[Piper Maru]

Morgan Freeman not a cinematic icon?! Did I just wake up in the twilight zone or something?

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Morgan Freeman not a cinematic icon?! Did I just wake up in the twilight zone or something?

He's even an icon in the Twilight Zone.

 

[flickchick85]

I think Shawshank's a very solid, well-made movie, but if I'm being honest, it almost certainly wouldn't make my list of the "greatest of all-time" either.

 

[weezerspider]

If the film has a 90% on RT, plenty of professional critics like it, so this whole thread seems pretty pointless to me.

What jumped out at me during all of this is that Jurassic Park wasn't on the top 100 films of the 90's. The film is easily one of the most innovated special effects films of all time. It's probably top 200 of all time, that is a huge snub to keep it out of the top 100 of its decade. Holy ****.

 

[Schlosser85]

Jurassic Park isn't a great movie in and of itself, but it is unquestionably a great special effects landmark.

 

[flickchick85]

Jurassic Park's one that definitely should've made the list, imo.

 

[TheFuture]

I'd have to question anyone who describes The Shawshank Redemption as "emotionally tidy". I'm not even sure what it's supposed to mean? Do is mean predictable and by the numbers? If so, there's absolutely nothing predictable or by the numbers about Andy Dufresne's story.

Shawshank was the first film I ever saw that made me think "er, this isn't supposed to happen to our protagonist!" It was also probably the first film to make think about things beyond black and white (I would have been but a young pup watching it).

So yeah, here's one man that absolutely loves the film. I

 

[spider-neil]

Outside of Sci-Fi (my favourite genre) SR (Shawshank rather than Superman returns ) is my absolute favourite drama so who cares what the critics say.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I unabashedly do not think that Jurassic Park is a good movie let alone a great one. It's a mostly entertaining movie with groundbreaking special effects but I never found it to be good, even when I was a kid and saw it in late 1993 I wondered what the big deal was. I mention my feelings as a kid in case someone accuses me of just thinking it's okay now because it's cool. I still like watching it for the Dinosaurs.

 

[Evil Twin]

Morgan Freeman not a cinematic icon??!!

Morgan Freeman is well loved, especially as a supporting character, and a terrific actor but is anybody going to put together a collection of Morgan Freeman movies for a retrospective like you would do for someone like Bogart or Brando? Is there any such thing as a "Morgan Freeman movie"?

Has anybody every written an article on what Morgan Freeman represents to the history of film?

Which is not to suggest that he isn't loved and really talented. Only that you can write about the big movements and touchstones in the history of cinema without touching on his work much at all. You can't write about westerns without touching on John Wayne and Clint Eastwood eventually. Those are icons.

Unless we're talking narration, that is. He's an icon there.

Of course, maybe I'm underrating his place in the pantheon of actors. He had a terrific run in the late 80s through Se7en in 1995. There are a lot of paychecks after that though. Well earned paychecks, but other than Million Dollar Baby and Invictus, there's not been a lot of high profile work with him in crucial roles, that really adds to his legacy in the last 18 years.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Love everything about this film and in my top ten favorite films of all time. And is my favorite King adaptation. It's one of those films that never gets old to me and one of the rare ones where I can enjoy it as much as I did when I first saw it.

I always liked how Darabont received a letter from a man who almost committed suicide and then watched this movie and changed his mind.

I've also never met a person who said they didn't like this film.

"Get busy living or get busy dying." That really sums up life.