Sylvester Stallonehas starred in his fair share of action franchises over the years. While he is best known for the series ofRockyfilms that began in 1976, the actor would go on to create another iconic character with the originalRambofilm, which would eventuallyspawn a franchise of its own. Even in the action star’s later years, he managed to lead franchises likeThe Expendables, which has had four films in its series. Now, another recent action film series will be headed to free streaming in July…and it sees him join forces with action icon rival.
Sylvester Stallone’s 10 Greatest Thrillers
While Sylvester Stallone is well known for his work in the action genre, he has tackled the world of thrillers just as effortlessly.
Starting in July, the moviesEscape Plan, Escape Plan 2: Hades,andEscape Plan: The Extractorswill all be available to stream for free courtesy ofTubi. The film franchise had a fiery start with the first entry in the series, although the subsequent two films would not be as well-received, with one entry in the series even criticized by Stallone himself (heonce calledEscape Plan 2a “horribly produced” film). Really, it’s the star power of the originalEscape Planthat made the film worth a watch, as it starred Stallone and his fellow action icon and longtime rival,Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The first movie was directed by Mikael Håfström from a script by Miles Chapman, and follows Ray Breslin (Stallone), a man proclaimed as the world’s greatest escape artist, who is imprisoned at the Tomb prison facility in the movie. Schwarzenegger plays Emil Rottmayer, a fellow inmate who works with Breslin to not only orchestrate a risky breakout, but also expose the secrets of the facility, all while going up against the Warden of the prison, Willard Hobbes (Jim Caviezel).
The ‘Escape Plan’ Sequels Sadly Don’t Recapture the Charm of the Original
While the two stars would have acontentious rivalry in their early careers, trying to outdo each other in their various acting roles, it’s seeing Stallone and Schwarzenegger work together that’s the main selling point for the firstEscape Plan. Unfortunately, theTerminatoractor didn’t return forEscape Plan 2, and the sequel would be billed as starring Stallone andfranchise newcomer Dave Bautista. However, the top billing would ultimately feel like false advertising, as Stallone had only filmed for three days and appeared for only 15 minutes in the movie. Instead, his and Bautista’s characters feel more like supporting players in a film that belonged more to action star Huang Xiaoming, who plays Breslin’s protégé Shu in the film.
Shu is kidnapped and put in the experimental Hades prison, which then leads to the events of the film, as it is a race against time for Breslin to help Shu escape. Strangely, the third and final film in the franchise,Escape Plan: The Extractors, would not pick up on any of the threads from the second movie, and instead features an unconventional plot involving a hostage rescue inside another prison. Although the film received negative reviews, it was slightly better received thanEscape Plan 2.
Overall, it’s the firstEscape Planmovie that stands out in the trilogy, thanks to itslegendary two lead action starsand exciting twists in its narrative. The fact that only the first film is a theatrical release speaks for itself, with the other two being direct-to-video releases. Whether you’re a fan of the action thriller series and want to revisit all three films, or have a morbid curiosity about the straight-to-video follow-ups, all threeEscape Planmovies will be on Tubi starting in July.
Source:Tubi
Escape Plan
