General Irwin: Robert Redford	Colonel Winter: James Gandolfini
Yates: Mark Ruffalo	Captain Peretz: Steve Burton
Dellwo: Paul Calderon	Aguilar: Clifton Collins Jr.
General Wheeler: Delroy Lindo	Director: Rod Lurie

30 Second Bottom Line: A General imprisoned for disobeying orders on the battlefield, leads other inmates in a revolt against an oppressive warden who at one time viewed him as his idol. They start out as "friends" and quickly become enemies.

Story Line: A castle is defined as a secure large building which stands on a high ground, with high walls, has a garrison with a guard and a flag flying for all to seem from both near and far. Most castles are meant to keep people out, but this castle that serves as a military prison is meant to keep people in.

General Irwin (Robert Redford) is a decorated battlefield three star General who disobeyed the orders of his commander with the result being that a number of men under his command were needlessly killed. He assumed he had the intelligence information he needed when in fact he did not. He was stripped of his rank and sent to prison. We learn that the military is his life as his daughter who visits tells him that he was not much of a father. The fact that she has a six-year-old son whom Irwin has never seen tends to support the views of his daughter. He is a leader of men, revered by many, a former prisoner of war who while a patriot, failed the test of fatherhood.

Colonel Winter (James Gandolfini) is the warden of the prison who with his trusted associate Captain Peretz (Steve Burton), keeps the prisoners in order with lock downs and corporal punishment which includes shooting the men with rubber bullets. If a prisoner becomes too much of a problem, the rubber bullet might accidentally on purpose hit the man in the head producing a fatal blow.

The Colonel is a collector of battlefield items to include a book written by General Irwin. Winters personally greets each new prisoner to size them up and ask them a key question to which there is only one right answer--to just do their time and get out without making any trouble.

When Irwin is in the Colonels office he agrees to autograph his book until the Colonel overhears Irwin tell the Captain that clearly this collection is from a man who has never seen battle. Winter's is insulted and tells Irwin that he has misplaced the book. Although Irwin does not know it, the war is on. Not long after Irwin witnesses the mistreatment of prisoners, he gets a first hand taste of it himself by moving rocks from one side of the yard to the other. When it's clear that Winter's is a bully causing great harm to the prisoners, Irwin suggests that he resign which of course he does not. Irwin knows that if certain things happen, Winters will be dismissed from his command. One of those is if he loses control of the prison, which would be indicated by another prisoner's death or a riot, which required the use of outside forces. The worse thing that could happen would be for the American flag to be flown upside down…a major sign of distress and loss of control.

Irwin uses his reputation and leadership skills to convince Yates (Mark Ruffalo), Aguilar (Clifton Collins Jr.) and others to take on Winters and his soldiers for command of the prison. When the show down scene arrives, it does so with a great deal of ingenuity and excitement.

Tell Me More About It: When an officer vigorously disagrees with his or her senior commander, to respect rank, before saying why they disagree, they ask the question, "may I speak freely?" This along with using the game of chess as a metaphor for the battle of wits between Irwin and Winter sets up much of what happens in the film.

The speeches that Irwin gives too easily transforms former military men who have done things as egregious as those in a maximum security prison for civilian low life's. These guys are criminals who already have their racial gangs to add fuel to the fire. He so quickly gets them to follow a leader that it detracts from the credibility of the film. However, if you look at this more as an entertainment caper rather than a serious film about the military, the things that are done are just fine.

The action toward the end of the film makes up for the somewhat slow pace and predictable events that precede it. With the increased flag waving after the events of September 11, 2001, what would have been seen by some as a corny ending turns into God Bless American and United We Stand statements which ends the movie on a perfect note. There were some silly military salutes during the film, but for sure, the salute at the end was one with a great deal of pride that cannot help but make you feel good as you leave the theater.

Robert Redford: Spy Game	James Gandolfini: The Man Who Wasn't There
Mark Ruffalo: You Can Count on Me	Steve Burton: General Hospital -TV
Paul Calderon: Once in the Life	Clifton Collins Jr.: Traffic
Delroy Lindo: The Heist	Rod Lurie: The Contender