Lock Up

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Lock Up

R

1989

1h 43m

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

31%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Sadistic prison warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland) is bent on taking his revenge against Frank Leone (Sylvester Stallone), the only prisoner to have escaped from his institution. He drags the inmate back to his maximum security hellhole and proceeds to have his guards torture him mercilessly. In addition to the warden, Frank tangles with fellow prisoner Chink Weber (Sonny Landham). When Frank learns that Drumgoole plans to kill his girlfriend on the outside, he plots his escape once more.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…John Flynn’s film is representative of the quirks of Stallone’s remarkably personal oeuvre…

Rated: 3/5

Mar 12, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Lock Up benefits from a midsection and second half that’s been peppered with several memorable interludes and standout sequences...

Rated: 3/4

Nov 3, 2022

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

One of the most brutal and violent of films, which leaves a bad memory. [Full review in Spanish]

Jul 12, 2022

Full Review

Andrew Gaudion

VultureHound

Lock Up maybe a little too cliched and heavy-handed to mark itself as a classic of the prison drama sub-genre, but as a piece of 80's action drama, it has its pleasures.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 28, 2020

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

[UPDATED 2025 REVIEW] The summer of 1989 was the summer of Batman, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lethal Weapon 2, and several other sizable hits, so who in their right mind wanted to waste time and money on a generic Stallone prison flick?

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 13, 2012

Full Review

Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

has more in common with the litany of weak films from the 90s than with his powerful flicks

Rated: 2/5

Aug 15, 2012

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Audience Member

Bill Conti theme. Big Glory from Paradise Alley. Tom Sizemore! Billy from Predator. That guy from Roots. Donald Sutherland. And Sly doing Sly, suffering in a tighty white vest top while his Rambo 3 conditioning was gently deflating. I bought this tough prison gem on VHS for 40 pounds Stirling in 1990. I have never regretted it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/30/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

Kevin C

I don't think it could get any better in 1989. Still my favorite movie filmed in a prison. Great start, great ending. Acting is on point. I love it!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/13/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Not Stallone's best, but solid.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/22/24

Full Review

Mohammad M

Im iranan man i have seen this movie many times and i realy enjoy the music of the scenes of Frankie s chivalrous Behavior.When i watch movie ,i feel it with every cell of my heart as if it is basedon a true story.this director should be given the gold medal.i fell i love with sylvester with this movie because of the comination of all the elements of beauty i love John FLynn dont forget D.T.A😉

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/05/24

Full Review

Blake E

Went to the theater and seen this with my dad and younger brother when I was a kid. I was probably 12 years old. Great fun movie with a lot of heart.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/14/24

Full Review

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John Flynn

Director

Sylvester Stallone

Frank Leone

Donald Sutherland

Warden Drumgoole

John Amos

Captain Meissner

Sonny Landham

Chink Weber

Tom Sizemore

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Synopsis

Sadistic prison warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland) is bent on taking his revenge against Frank Leone (Sylvester Stallone), the only prisoner to have escaped from his institution. He drags the inmate back to his maximum security hellhole and proceeds to have his guards torture him mercilessly. In addition to the warden, Frank tangles with fellow prisoner Chink Weber (Sonny Landham). When Frank learns that Drumgoole plans to kill his girlfriend on the outside, he plots his escape once more.

Director: John Flynn
Producer: Lawrence Gordon, Charles Gordon
Screenwriter: Richard Smith, Jeb Stuart, Henry Rosenbaum
Production Co: Gordon Company, Carolco Pictures Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.3M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Surround

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