The Longest Yard (Lockdown Edition)

Rating R Formats DVD Genre comedy Starring Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Dino Washington, Ed Lauter, Ray Nitschke Directed by Robert Aldrich Publisher Paramount Home Video External Links Paramount Home Video

Burt Reynolds plays an ex pro-football player who lands himself in prison after being caught stealing his girlfriend's car and beating up a few of the arresting officers. Shortly after incarceration, he's told to put together a football team of fellow inmates to play against the guards. Thus begins the never fully realized storyline, competing to be both a prison oriented film and a funny sports guy flick. Throw in a number of unbelievable cliches (a sadistic guard, a wise old inmate, an evil warden) and the results are less than satisfactory.

Director Robert Aldrich, known for his classic war film The Dirty Dozen and Flight Of The Phoenix, doesn't have a chance to really pull anything substantial together in The Longest Yard. The most entertaining scenes are few and far between. The climactic big game of prisoners against the guards clocks in at over 30 minutes, making it extremely forgettable.

The few shining moments Aldrich does seem to pull together are in the early stages of Reynold's recruitment of potential players. Richard Kiel, who you remember as Jaws in the classic James Bond films of the era, does a great job playing a lumbering "loveable" giant and sidekick James Hampton fills in well where needed.

Some have called this film a classic. I am not so sure I agree. It is convoluted and chop full of holes and character flaws. Granted, Reynolds does his best taking a chance departing from his feel good buddy pictures of the 70's. Sadistic warden Eddie Albert also adds a certain element of interest, making a huge turn from his "Green Acres" character. This, unfortunately, does not a good movie make. Throw in some lame extras and you can rest assured that The Longest Yard is going on fourth and long.