Product Details

• Actors: Chris O'Donnell, Gene Hackman, Faye Dunaway, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry
• Directors: James Foley
• Writers: Chris Reese, John Grisham, William Goldman
• Producers: Brian Grazer, David T. Friendly, John Davis, Karen Kehela Sherwood
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Universal Studios
• VHS Release Date: November 11, 1997
• Run Time: 113 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304358520
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,657 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

A top cast consisting of veteran aces Gene Hackman and Faye Dunaway can't rescue this way-too-long, dreadfully earnest version of John Grisham's equally gimpy novel. There are several problems in this story of an intertwined Southern family who must disentangle themselves from the past and the dark shadow of a 1967 bombing. That terrorist attack led to the deaths of two Jewish children and was pinned on the black-sheep patriarch of the family, a racist, card-carrying Klansman named Sam Cayhall (Hackman), who is now serving time on death row for the hate crime. Years later, the savior grandson cometh. Young-buck lawyer Adam Hall--played with righteous determination and limited range by Chris O'Donnell--pulls out all the stops to save his client from the Mississippi gas chamber. As is usual in Grisham country, the poor lawyer becomes embroiled in a plan more diabolical, corrupt, and layered than he could guess and the truth spirals out of control, endangering lives, and opening old wounds. The Chamber attempts to twist and turn through its plodding story, but there is no gray area in which to force the viewer to weigh his or her conscience against the skewed facts. Everything that occurs in The Chamber is black or white, good or bad, and there is no crisis of conflict to make us question the morality and stance of the two sides in play. The bad guys are awful, the politicians are bought off, the cops are either corrupt or apathetic, and only one puny guy is left to bring down a house of cards that's been standing solidly for decades. O'Donnell is quickly put to shame by Hackman, who even manages to suffer through a sadistically long, melodramatic stroll down death row with his dignity intact. --Paula Nechak

Amazon.com

Adapted from John Grisham's novel, The Chamber does not live up to its potential, although it does come close. A fresh-faced Chris O'Donnell is the naive but insistent young attorney determined to appeal the case of Gene Hackman. The latter plays a unapologetic death-row inmate accused of killing two Jewish boys 30 years earlier. O'Donnell, we quickly learn, is the grandson of the murderous old cuss and has his own agenda for trying to save him. Meant more as a character study than a courtroom thriller, this never quite gels, as it leaves a few too many questions unanswered. However, it is well worth seeing for the performances, especially Hackman as the grizzled and nasty elderly convict. --Rochelle O'Gorman

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BLUE GENE, November 17, 2004

By 

Michael Butts (Berkeley Springs, WV USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Chamber (DVD)

Gene Hackman's electrifying performance dominates this adaptation of John Grisham's best selling novel. Hackman portrays Sam Cayhall, a man who's been on death row for sixteen years for the bombing of a lawyer's office that resulted in the death of the lawyer's two children. Cayhall is a vile man, who has lived a life of hatred and prejudice, the result of generations of such bigoted ancestors. Enter Chris O'Donnell as his young grandson, who is a lawyer and wants to reopen the case and spare his grandfather the gas chamber. What ensues is a painful exploration of hatred, prejudice and a dysfunctional family.
I liked the movie, in spite of its several flaws. Hackman is phenomenal, and Chris O'Donnell does a good job as the naively innocent, but determined, young barrister. Faye Dunaway offers wonderful support as Hackman's estranged daughter who has lived a life of secrecy and guilt. Lela Rochon, Raymond Barry, David Marshall Grant and Robert Prosky offer fine support too.
I found myself involved in the movie, and feel it didn't offer any easy answers. Hackman is a guilty man, but his performance is so well doone that one can't help but feel sorry for the life he has chosen, and the life he has sacrificed.
I think it's well worth viewing.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Acting that ought to knock anyone's socks off, December 31, 1999

By 

Christina Brooks "grond99" (Sydney, N.S.W Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chamber (DVD)

"The Chamber" is long, quiet and infinitely better the second time around, which makes it pretty seriously good indeed. Whatever you think of the plot and the completely salient points it makes on the subject of capital punishment the true joys of "The Chamber" are the performances of Faye Dunaway and Gene Hackman each of which are nothing short of astonishing. Dunaway's creation of Cayhall's daughter is as powerful, multi-layered and profound as anything she has ever done. Gene Hackman deserves to be inducted into the great actors hall of fame for his portrayal of Sam Cayhall. As his execution draws closer his moods swing through the gamut of human emotion creating a complete and almost unbearably real but flawed human person facing certain death. A best actor oscar should have been given for this performance. If acting is your job or something that you see all too rarely ignore the carping critics who found their sensibilities rubbed the wrong way and get "The Chamber" it improves with each viewing and says some very deep things about life and exactly what it means to be human. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars What Is Justice? What Is Evil?, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chamber [VHS] (VHS Tape)

There are few clearcut issues in life, and Grisham explores so many gray areas in The Chamber. Can a truly evil man be remorseful and transformed? Is justice sometimes inappropriate, too harsh or excessive? Gene Hackman gives a tremendous portrayal as a racist slimeball sentenced to the gas chamber for a horrific hate bombing in the 60's, where Jewish twin boys were blown to bits. The movie describes all the legal maneuvering to keep him from his date with the executioner. Is Hackman a changed man? Does he regret his actions? Is he remorseful? Is he foolishly and blindly protecting someone? Is it in society's best interest to kill him some 30 years after his crime? These are the moral questions that swirl around inside the Chamber. The answers are up to you........