WubsTheFadger Short and Simple Review by WubsTheFadgerFelon is a film about a man convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sent to prison. While in prison he learns how to survive. The story in theory and concept should be interesting and intense, but it fails to invoke intrigue in the beginning and middle parts of the film. I thought the ending was very good and the dialogue at the end was great. The violence used throughout the film was not as brutal as I expected.The acting is okay. Stephen Dorff performs rather well but he does deliver some dry lines. Marisol Nichols, Harold Perrineau, and Val Kilmer also perform well but they have deliver some shaky lines. Sam Shepard performs very well but Sam Shepard always performs well. Chris Browning's and Johnny Lewis' characters were the best.The pacing is very slow for a prison film and this makes the runtime seem rather long.Pros: Good ending, okay acting, and the third act is very good, and two really good characters mentioned aboveCons: Slow pacing, an overlong runtime, okay acting, the story had a lot more potential, and the violence was not that brutalOverall Rating: 6.8P.S. If you enjoy prison films, I would recommend Brawl in Cell Block 99. Brawl is way more intense, has a better story, it has really good acting, brutal violence, and a stunning ending. The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and American History X are also very good prison films that are touching, disturbing, and heartbreaking in their own ways.

glen rose No, I won't watch a movie where the director refuses to use a tripod. I am reading some good reviews of the movie but no one mentions that the director thought it was cool to hand hold the cameras and have a shaky screen for the entire movie. Is this supposed to be some sort of cool effect? Count me out. It is so distracting and difficult to watch. It's about the same as someone in a theater making a bootleg version holding the camera in their hands. Really bad camera work and any sense of a good movie and or acting is not worth evaluating. My impression is that the director was insecure and needed to add this constant shaking camera to hide his fear that he could not make a good move. Count me out . I give the move zero stars. Ridiculous concept of camera work.

Fallen Eye A decently constructed feature, that did well in pulling the viewer in and getting them emotionally involved. I personally am glad that Felon has a happy ending, because the director could've easily went the other way, which in my opinion could've proved to be a bit more profound, however for the viewer, perhaps a whole lot more frustrating... In a good way as far as the film is concerned.A movie about the injustice of a system that very often seems like it wasn't put in place to serve or protect, but rather accomplish any agenda set by its architects, is sure to tug at the right emotional strings, and Felon did just that.The story is grounded, possible and very realistic, which makes it vastly relatable, because it could really happen to anyone at anytime. All you have to do with Felon, is imagine yourself in said position, and just like that, you're a part of it.Injustice, unfairness and mistreatment as a basis of a story is all good and well to conjure up, however, you need a director with the right vision, and actors that can embody that vision to give it the relevance, purpose and meaning that is necessary for the feeling to hit home. Felon displayed a fair attempt at showcasing such unfairness. 7.2/10.

cheesustoast The hate and violence in this film is graphically portrayed in an unforgiving fashion. This led me to believe that there was maybe going to be nothing in the way of a story and that it would leave me feeling empty. That was not the case. This is a powerful film but it could be construed as immoral by some people. Some people live a life of violence by choice. It is maybe in their nature or it is just something that they have learned. Some people, on the other hand, get pulled into it and have nothing to do except fight back or be destroyed. This is what is being portrayed.I saw one comment from another reviewer suggesting that the message contained in the film is bad. I have seen another comment suggesting that it is not very realistic. I disagree. It is fiction but what is going on within the film is believable. The message that is sent out within the film is that life is not always fair... and all there is left for you to do is to keep fighting until the end or lay down and die. It is also showing that some people choose a life of violence and others are thrust into it whether they like it or not.This is a very powerful, very violent, but very moving film. Sanctimonious people who see the world through rose colored spectacles will probably not like it.