Product Details

• Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Sonny Landham, Tom Sizemore
• Directors: John Flynn
• Writers: Henry Rosenbaum, Jeb Stuart, Richard Smith
• Producers: Adam Simon, Charles Gordon, Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin
• Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: July 27, 2010
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B003KV3E2M
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,187 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Lock Up [Blu-ray]" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With vanity projects like 1989's schlocky Lock Up to his credit, it's a wonder Sylvester Stallone survived to make some better movies in the '90s. This is a brutal dose of macho action that Stallone squeezed in between Rambo III and Rocky V, and his fans didn't seem to mind, so who's to judge? It's not as bad as Sly's other 1989 disaster (Tango & Cash), but you'd have to be demented, drunk, or have really low standards to call this a good movie. But if you're in a primal mood you'll get a kick out of this grimy flick, which would qualify as Z-grade exploitation if it weren't for Stallone's beefy presence as Frank Leone, a cooperative prisoner who's six months shy of parole when he's relocated to a hellhole called Gateway Prison. The wretched high-security facility is commandeered by Warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland), who is determined to settle an old score with Stallone ... and you can pretty much guess the rest. Director John Flynn didn't exactly distinguish himself with this one (he'd go on to direct forgettable fare like Out for Justice and Brainscan), but there's more visual style here than you might expect, and Sly manages to take it all so seriously that you can easily enjoy this gut buster as an unintentional comedy. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland. A man sentenced to six months in jail is in for a grueling term-the warden is an old nemesis of his who hasn't left their differences behind. 1989/color/115 min/R.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!! February 5, 2003

By Nemo Daison

Format:DVD

Ok, so the guy who did the Amazon.com Editorial review calls the people who enjoy this movie demented, drunk, or having really low standards. Who says you have to take the movie seriously...just enjoy it; I think we all realize that what happens in this movie would never happen in real life, and that's what makes it so cool. I say Lock Up is one of Stallone's more memorable movies for me although it is one of his lesser known roles. This movie probably wouldn't be good if it were played by anyone other than Stallone, but it isn't so it's great. Stallone plays Frank Leone, a man serving a short and normal prison sentence, when he is suddenly and inexplicably sent to Gateway, a hell-hole of a prison, with the evil Warden Drumgoole in charge, played very well by Donald Sutherland. Drumgoole employs a bully named Chink, (played by Sonny Landham) to make sure Leone's time at Gateway is as unpleasant as possible. The most memorable moment in the film for me is when Leone goes after Chink when he crosses the line. On the front of the DVD one critic states, "A surprisingly human film." I must agree. You really start to feel for Frank Leone after he is given such a hard time, and you want to see him exact his revenge like only Stallone can.

Stallone just has a certain aura about him, ya know? Like he's almost not human, with larger-than-life characters like Rocky and Rambo in his name, but something more...maybe I am just, demented...but I think a lot of Stallone fans know exactly what I mean.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It's not that bad. December 7, 2001

By Rock

Format:DVD

Let me start by saying that I'm not demented, I don't drink, and I have fairly stringent standards when it comes to what I watch. That being said, I wish all the critics and haters out there would give Stallone a break, especially concerning this movie. Granted , my entire family, being from Philly, is unabashedly pro-Stallone. Even so, I can say without bias that he does a great job here, mixing prison drama with hard action. Also, you have a triumvirate of great character actors: Donald Sutherland (creepy as usual), Tom Sizemore (hyper as ever), and John Amos, who plays James Evans playing a prison guard ("Junior, you betta put a lock-down on yo' lips!") It won't win the critics' award for Best Film of the 90's, but who cares? Just watch it.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Make sure you have a spare key handy! July 13, 2001

By David Hugaert

Format:VHS Tape

"Lock Up" features a strong cast with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Tom Sizemore and Sonny Landham. Stallone portrays Frank Leone, who must serve the remaining six months of his sentence at a minimum security correctional facility. Leone's cell is ransacked in the middle of the night and is taken into custody against his will by security guards from a maximum security prison, where Leone is escorted and is promptly given the guided tour of hell. The viewer, as well as Leone, is then given an explanation of Leone's transfer, courtesy of one evil Warden Drumgoole, played by Sutherland. The tone of the movie is set upon Drumgoole's intense greeting: "Welcome to Gateway, Leone". It's payback time, according to the warden, whose administration was publicly humiliated by Leone, whom Warden Drumgoole makes sure never has another pleasureable moment during Leone's sentence. Leone's stay isn't entirely unbearable, for there are a few bright spots here, as our beloved convict-hero makes some fast friends in the prison autobody shop, with the likes of Eclipse (Frank McRae), Dallas (Tom Sizemore) and First Base (Larry Romano). It is here where these individuals share a common bond of friendship, including their love of cars, which is one of "Lock Up's" few tender moments. Ah, but there can't be friends without enemies, can there? Frank finds his enemy at a prison football game, where he is brutally roughhoused by one Chink Weber (Sonny Landham). Things don't get any easier for Leone, as he is constantly belittled and brutally assaulted by Drumgoole's staff. Overall, this is a strong film, with some believable characters, although the plot in certain spots is somewhat weak and unbelievable. For instance, I find it hard to believe that a prison autobody shop, such as this, displays little or no security, as well as a large maximum security prison, like this one, being overseen by just one warden, who, out of hundreds and hundreds of inmates, is so obsessed with just one of them. I'm sure the warden has other responsibilities to be concerned about, which I'm sure are many. But, the one good thing about watching a film of this caliber is that the warden's obsession with one man builds an intense climax that leaves the viewer on the edge of his/her seat the entire length of the movie, thus craving more substantial thrills and dialog. "Lock Up" contains all of the above, and is one film you're sure to come back to time and again. Plus, no other actor can bring more to an action-thriller quite like Sly Stallone, although "Lock Up" probably isn't his best role. That honor would have to go to his Rambo and Rocky roles. When viewing "Lock Up", make sure you have a spare key (and some refreshments) handy at all times, because you never know how long your stay of execution will last!