MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Lock Up

Lock Up

1989 · 115 min

A gritty, tense prison drama where the walls close in, mixing brutal confrontations with moments of camaraderie and a simmering need for payback.

Tagline
How much can a man take...before he gives back?
Overview
Frank Leone is nearing the end of his prison term for a relatively minor crime. Just before he is paroled, however, Warden Drumgoole takes charge. Drumgoole was assigned to a hell-hole prison after his administration was publicly humiliated by Leone, and has now arrived on the scene to ensure that Leone never sees the light of day.

Search YouTube for the trailer

Stream in the UK
  • STUDIOCANAL PRESENTS Apple TV Channel
More options Data from JustWatch
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • tensestrength 3 of 3
  • darkstrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
easy-watch, 2 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • revenge
  • justice
  • corruption
  • survival
  • friendship
Places
  • prison
  • small town
Era
contemporary
Audience
adult
Form
  • single location
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language strong
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action6
Horror3
Humour2
Realism6
Romance2
Tension7
Darkness7
Complexity4
Emotional weight6

More like this

Titles like Lock Up

Movie

In Hell

2003

A grim, claustrophobic prison drama where brutal fights punctuate a slow descent into rage and survival.

Tense, dark · about revenge and justice · single location

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • justice
  • single location
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
96 min
Details In your watch list
In HellHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

A patient, deeply moving story of endurance and friendship that slowly builds to a cathartic, hopeful release.

Earnest · about justice and corruption

Via
  • earnest
  • justice
  • corruption
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
142 min
Details In your watch list
The Shawshank RedemptionHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Fugitive

1993

A taut, propulsive manhunt that keeps you leaning forward, blending smart procedural detail with visceral chases and a quietly determined hero.

Same writer: Jeb Stuart · Tense, earnest · about justice and corruption

Also
Same writer: Jeb Stuart
Via
  • tense
  • earnest
  • justice
  • corruption
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
131 min
Details In your watch list
The FugitiveHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Bad Boys

1983

It is a raw and intense look at survival within a brutal, unforgiving environment.

Same cinematographer: Donald E. Thorin · Tense, dark · about justice · single location

Also
Same cinematographer: Donald E. Thorin
Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • justice
  • single location
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
123 min
Details In your watch list
Bad BoysHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Brawl in Cell Block 99

2017

A grim, slow-burning descent into brutal violence, anchored by a stoic performance and a pervasive sense of dread.

Tense, dark · about revenge and survival · single location

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • survival
  • single location
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
132 min
Details In your watch list
Brawl in Cell Block 99Hidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Heat

1995

A cool, controlled crime epic that builds tension through meticulous detail and quiet character moments, culminating in explosive set pieces and a haunting sense of inevitability.

Tense, dark

Via
  • tense
  • dark
Pacing
measured
Attention
demanding
Runtime
170 min
Details In your watch list
HeatHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Sleepers

1996

A heavy, somber drama that follows childhood trauma into adult revenge, asking for patience and emotional endurance.

Tense, dark · about revenge and justice

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • justice
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
147 min
Details In your watch list
SleepersHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

An Innocent Man

1989

A grim, tense descent into wrongful imprisonment and a hard-won fight for justice, with a steady build to a satisfying payoff.

Tense, dark · about revenge and justice

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • justice
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
113 min
Details In your watch list
An Innocent ManHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Prison on Fire

1987

Grimy, claustrophobic and simmering with menace, it builds pressure until violence erupts with raw, ugly force.

Tense, dark · about justice and corruption · single location

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • justice
  • corruption
  • single location
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
101 min
Details In your watch list
Prison on FireHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Motor City

2026

A gritty, music-driven revenge thriller that feels like a slow-burning fuse leading to explosive, visceral payback.

Tense, dark · about revenge and justice

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • justice
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
104 min
Details In your watch list
Motor CityHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Avengement

2019

A brutal, tightly wound revenge thriller with bone-crunching fights and a grim, relentless atmosphere that keeps you on edge.

Tense, dark · about revenge and survival

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • survival
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
88 min
Details In your watch list
AvengementHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Legacy of Rage

1986

A gritty, fast-moving revenge thriller with raw fight scenes and a brooding sense of betrayal.

Tense, dark · about revenge and justice

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • revenge
  • justice
Pacing
brisk
Attention
easy-watch
Runtime
87 min
Details In your watch list
Legacy of RageHidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Stream
  • STUDIOCANAL PRESENTS Apple TV Channel
Rent or buy
  • Apple TV Store
  • Amazon Video
  • Sky Store
  • YouTube

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres
action, crime, drama, thriller
Directed by
John Flynn
Written by
Henry Rosenbaum, Richard Smith, Jeb Stuart
Starring
Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Sonny Landham, Tom Sizemore, Frank McRae, Darlanne Fluegel, William Allen Young
Music
Bill Conti
Cinematography
Donald E. Thorin
Runtime
115 min
Country
United States of America
Languages
English

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata