Best Prison Movies

The Top Ten
1 The Shawshank Redemption

Best movie I've seen nothing is more powerful and inspirational made me look at things differently thoughout the years

Fairytale escape saga. Wonderfully produced with deserved, broad appeal. And the narration!

One of the best Movies of all time, and definitely the best prison break movie of all time

(Spoiler alert! ) I loved seeing the Warden get arrested at the end!

2 Undisputed II - Last Man Standing

Great movie, maybe the best martial arts movie, and one of the greatest Jewels in prison film

3 Escape From Alcatraz

Faithful - or so it seems - account of the famous 1962 escape bid that just might have succeeded.

4 Lock Up

Brilliant drama with Sylvester Stallone. The story is gritty and involving, and the best scene is Sizemore's last bid for Stallone's friendship. Watch it and you'll know what I mean.

One of the best performance of Sylvester Stallone. If you die before watching it, you'll die with regret.

5 Cool Hand Luke
6 Papillon
7 Undisputed III: Redemption

Fight film in which the bad guy in Undisputed II becomes the sentimental favourite in this one.

8 The Green Mile

Second just to The Shawshank Redemption, this film will leave you wanting to know how long Mr. Jingles lived for!

Want some cornbread

9 Midnight Express

The film that made allusions to ending up in a Turkish prison so much more evocative than, say, a Swiss prison.

10 American History X

Powerful film that tackles racism and hatred head on.

The Contenders
11 Cell 211
12 Dead Man Walking

A committed nun fulfills her Christian duty by visiting a young, most unlovable murderer on death row.

13 Stalag 17

A Billy Wilder film with William Holden as a prisoner in a WWII German POW camp. Inspired the hit television series, Hogan's Heroes (1965)

14 The Great Escape
15 The Bridge on the River Kwai
16 Stone

Questions about sin, morality and possible redemption in a taut prison drama.
Starring Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich and Robert De Niro

17 Alien 3

Sigourney Weaver's space pod crashes on a remote prison planet. Let the mayhem begin.

18 Shot Caller

Great movie. The transformation of character reminds me of breaking bad.

19 Against the Wall
20 Bronson
21 My Cousin Vinny
22 The Life of David Gale

One of the most controversial films on the list. Stars Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet.

23 Elite Squad
24 Carandiru
25 Felon
8Load More
PSearch List