SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: CINEMA’S BEST TO OFFER

Though primarily known as the world’s “most popular and authoritative source for movies, TV and celebrity content,” the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) has also quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the web’s largest and most respected aggregators of film and television reviews.

With the help of these aggregated ratings, IMDb has put together a list of the 250 highest-rated movies of all time. But is its No. 1 movie really worthy of its rank?

Released in the summer of 1994, “The Shawshank Redemption,” directed by Frank Darabont, is one of the most successful and influential dramas of the past 30 years. It’s been parodied endlessly and praised infinitely, and now, 26 years later, this Stephen King short story-turned-feature film is widely considered to be the greatest movie of all time. That is, if the IMDb Top 250 is to be believed.

Sitting comfortably at No. 1 and sporting a formidable 9.3 out of 10 composite rating, this prison drama practically defined the tropes of the genre and continually broke records during the peak of its popularity. Does it still hold up in 2020, however?

Set in the late 1940s, Shawshank follows the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a successful banker who is falsely accused of murder and forced to serve a life sentence at Shawshank prison. Over the course of his sentence, Andy forms a deep friendship with a fellow inmate, Red (Morgan Freeman), who shepherds him through his stay. But after suffering nearly 20 years of constant abuse at the hands of fellow prisoners and prison officials alike, Andy must decide whether to accept his fate and submit to institutionalization, or to live life by his own rules.

While Shawshank is by no means a particularly old movie, the world has had a quarter century to disseminate the lessons of filmmaking and storytelling that Darabont’s film so expertly demonstrates. This being the case, the work comes across as somewhat played out and rather predictable, by modern standards. However, its execution is unmatched. Despite its long run time, the film’s excellent pacing keeps it feeling imminently digestible and entertaining.

This movie would be nothing without its stellar cast. In addition to its expertly crafted and well-paced script, Robbins and Freeman are both performing at the top of their game here, giving some truly inspiring performances. Even Freeman’s narration, despite feeling somewhat cheesy in 2020, oozes a charisma that will make you wish the man played every role in the movie.

Needless to say, The Shawshank Redemption is an amazing film, worthy of its critical praise and longevity. That said – and despite holding up as a modern classic – when put up against 249 of the other greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema, it seems rather out of place perched at No. 1, especially when “The Godfather” sits only a single decimal point behind.

Of course, the concept of listing the “best movies of all time” in order of greatness is a futile exercise, as a definitive value can never be placed on art. So if you ever find yourself browsing the IMDb Top 250, it’s best not to take it too seriously.

In the meantime, Shawshank gets a 4/5.