Against the Wall walked so that Trial of the Chicago 7 could run. But the latter had a big Netflix release. This was made for TV and subsequently flew under the radar, and as a result is one of the most criminally underrated things I have ever seen.
This movie is really something else. Something else for sure. I went into this not knowing anything about the Attica riot, but still being more or less aware of the situation at the time after watching Trial of the Chicago 7. And I was expecting something akin to the Shawshank Redemption - a slow-burn drama with a nice ending. But Against the Wall was neither of those things.
This movie had my heart pounding so fast that I could hear blood in my ears the entire way through. The sheer brutality of it, not one dash of blood sanitised, really opened my eyes to how horrific the riot - no, the massacre - was. This movie feels ahead of its time, almost - ever since its 1994 release the incarceration problem in the US has only gotten more and more dire, and just as it was when it first came out, Against the Wall is a startling and sudden wake-me-up to all of the problems that are just as relevant today as they were in 1971.
Everything about this movie was mind-blowing excellence. The chaos of the riot was conveyed perfectly, and it all felt real, raw and terrifyingly true. And the acting - Kyle MacLachlan and Samuel L. Jackson were both absolutely mind-blowing. Hands-down two of the most powerful performances I've ever seen on screen. And the supporting cast was also great - they extended the story past the riot itself and had me caring so much more about what was happening.
A powerful movie that shows the messy side of America, but it will not leave your mind for days to come.
-Sasha.
