History Film / TheLastCastle

* TheNeidermeyer: Winter, as stated by Irwin to Peretz, that no actual battlefield veteran would ever have a much-prized military artifacts collection, which however, cause Winter to feel insulted by that comment that from this point on, Winter and Irwin have become enemies.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: McLaren and Niebolt both laugh when Irwin says the rules of his visitation with General Wheeler necessarily prohibit a handjob.

* PunchClockVillain: Captain Peretz, Winter's [[TheDragon second in command]] is technically an example. Although he does try to be fair and consistent in dealing with the prisoners he does look the other way at the corruption of his boss. He finally has enough of it by the end of the movie.

* FatalFamilyPhoto: [[spoiler:You just knew Irwin was gonna die when he took the photo of his kid into his pocket]].

''The Last Castle'' is a 2001 action-drama film directed by Rod Lurie (the guy that did ''Film/TheContender'') and starring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.

''The Last Castle'' is a 2001 action-drama film directed by Rod Lurie (the guy that did ''The Contender'') and starring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.

'''''The Last Castle''''' is a 2001 action-drama film directed by Rod Lurie (the guy that did ''The Contender'') and starring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.

* MacGyvering: Making riot shields out of tables, slingshots with rubber hoses, {{Molotov Cocktail}}s with plastic bottles, a grappling hook, wooden siege weapons, and a '''bazooka''' out of an old metal pipe and an oxygen tank.

* JerkAss: Beaupre

* PunchclockVillain: Captain Peretz, Winter's second in command is technically an example. Although he does try to be fair and consistent in dealing with the prisoners he does look the other way at the corruption of his boss. He finally has enough of it by the end of the movie.

The film was shot at 103-year-old former Tennessee State Prison in Nashville; the same prison ''Film/TheGreenMile'' was filmed at. Critical reception was mixed; while the acting and stuntwork are generally praised, an examination of the plot reveals PlotHoles and FridgeLogic.

* BigScaryBlackMan: Sgt. Mc Laren, the chief enlisted guard at the prison.

* SemperFi: Subverted with Aguilar.

* StrangeSalute: Since the prisoners have all been court-martialed and discharged they are no longer serving members in any branch of the United State military and, as such, saluting one another is forbidden. The prisoners pay respect to each other by holding their hand up near their temple and then brushing the hand back through their hair to differentiate it from a proper military salute. They also devise alternate forms of address, based on common forms of address like "boss," to use in place of previous ranks.
* ThanatosGambit: [[spoiler:Irwin -- although it seems it was unintentional.]]

* WhatAreYouInFor: Irwin asks the doctor why he is in prison. The doctor says he was busted for marijuana possession. Irwin points out that marijuana possession will get you discharged from the military but not normally earn you a stint in a maximum security military prison. The doctor agrees and starts to explain, but they are interrupted and the audience never does get to hear the full story.

* PlotHole[=/=]FridgeLogic: How did the prisoners manufacture the weapons and hide them under Winter's observation?
** Such as a 20-foot tall trebuchet?
*** Given the weapons criminals in a Super Max can manufacture...is it really that much of a hole? And they aren't nearly as well trained or disciplined.

* [[spoiler:BittersweetEnding: The prisoners stage their riot and manage to successfully get Winter ousted as Warden. However, Irwin dies in the process.]]

* [[spoiler:FatalFamilyPhoto: You just knew Irwin was gonna die when he took the photo of his kid into his pocket]].

* [[spoiler:HellishCopter: The prisoners' Huey crashes after its wing rams one of the guard towers.]]

* [[spoiler:RedemptionEqualsDeath: Irwin.]]
* [[spoiler:ReverseMole: Yates]]

* [[spoiler:ThanatosGambit: Irwin -- although it seems it was unintentional.]]

* WardensAreEvil: Warden Winter is very much this trope. [[SmugSnake Smug]], domineering, willing and able to kill prisoners if they piss him off.

* PunchclockVillain: Captain Peretz, Winter's second in command is technically an example. He isn't a villain though but he does look the other way to the corruption of his boss. He finally has enough of it by the end of the movie.

* ReasonYouSuck: Irwin gives a BRUTAL one to Winter, and he doesn't even raise his voice.

* BigScaryBlackMan: Sgt. McLaren, the chief enlisted guard at the prison.

'''''The Last Castle''''' is a 2001 drama film directed by Rod Lurie (the guy that did ''The Contender'') and starring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.

* BigScaryBlakcMan: Sgt. McLaren, the chief enlisted guard at the prison.

* MoralEventHorizon: [[spoiler: Winter]] crosses this on-screen when he [[spoiler: orders a guard to kill Aguilar.]]

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Dr. Lee Bernard mentions that a rubber bullet to the head can kill someone. [[spoiler: This is what happens to Aguilar]].
* HeyItsThatVoice: Cloud Strife plays TheDragon to Colonel Winters.

* PlotHole / FridgeLogic: How did the prisoners manufacture the weapons and hide them under Winter's observation?

*** Given the weapons criminals in a Super Max can manufacter...is it really that much of a hole? And they aren't nearly as well trained or diciplined.

* StrangeSalute: Since the prisoners have all been court-martialed and discharged they are no longer serving members in any branch of the United State military and, as such, saluting one another is forbidden. The prisoners pay respect to each other by holding their hand up near their temple and then brushing the hand back through their hair to differentiate it from a proper military salute. They also devise alternate forms of address, based on common comon forms of address like "boss," to use in place of previous ranks.

* VillanousBreakdown: [[spoiler: Col. Winter goes through this at the end, even though he had already put down Irwin's uprising.]] It results in [[spoiler: Winter shooting Irwin.]]

The film was shot at 103-year-old former Tennessee State Prison in Nashville; the same prison ''TheGreenMile'' was filmed at. Critical reception was mixed; while the acting and stuntwork are generally praised, an examination of the plot reveals PlotHoles and FridgeLogic.