Prison movies are a genre that do not have very many variations. They are usually about a person who goes in, who may or may not be guilty and we come to care for them so much that we root for them when they plan their escape. This film is not that much different as far as plot is concerned. What makes each stand out I think is the characters. We have to care for these people so that their struggle seems worthy. I think the landscape of this film and where the prison is set has a lot to do with how badly we feel for the characters. I think this is one of the most horrible prisons we've seen on screen that is set on earth. We have the typical bad wardens as well. The head warden though I felt was a bit kinder than what you expect in these types of films. He is not the best person but is not as horribly nasty as they are usually depicted in most prison films. It is the second in charge who is the most horrible. What is most interesting is that we are never quite sure what our hero prisoner is in for. We know a bit about his history but not the most important aspect.
Benjamin Helstad is excellent as our hero Erling. He is able to play the brooding silent type really well. He appears to accept his situation but is secretly trying to leave. His friend Olav is played nicely by Trond Nilssen. Magnus Langlete is wonderful as the stereotypical weaker prisoner. Kristoffer Joner is excellent as the evil warden. He plays the nastiness real nicely that you get scared each time he is on screen. I loved seeing Stellan Skarsgard back in his native Norway. His character is not as horrible as most prison wardens are which was refreshing. He is bad but not really evil. You understand that he is trying to do a tough job in a tough situation and Stellan is able to bring that out in his character.
While it does not break new ground as far as the prison movie goes, it is still a really good movie. The atmosphere and setting have a lot to do with making it seem fresher.
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