I don’t know what is about Martin Campbell movies. Outside of his entries in the James Bond franchise, they kind of just fizzle for me. They generally have solid casts, and at least the potential for a good story, and he knows how to orchestrate a shot and stage a sequence, but they never really work for me.

I remember when No Escape came to home video and I took it home to watch it, and promptly forgot it. So when I had the opportunity to take another look at it, I did, and again, if I don’t make my notes now, I may never remember what it’s about.

If this had been Kurt Russell and John Carpenter this could very much have been a Snake Plissken escape movie. But it’s not.

Set in the far future of the 2022, for-profit prisons are all the rage, and when a former military hero, Robbins (Ray Liotta) kills his superior, he finds himself shuffled to the worst of the worst. The Warden (Michael Lerner) sends him to a remote island inhabited by two tribes of convicts, The Outsides led by Marek (a delightful scenery-chewing Stuart Wilson) and the others, led by Father (Lance Henriksen).

Quickly making an enemy of Marek, Robbins joins up with Father and his crew, which includes Hawkins (Ernie Hudson), Casey (Kevin Dillon) and Stephano (Kevin J. O’Connor. Convincing everyone he plans to escape, things get complicated when the Warden instigates greater violence between the two tribes, pushing for an all-out war between them.

All well and good, and everything in the first quarter of the film really does feel like an Escape From film, especially Robbins first confrontation with one of Marek’s men. But then, not only did I lose interest, despite the fact that I like everyone in the cast, it just seemed dull.

And I don’t know why that is. Casino Royale and GoldenEye are two of my favorite 007 films, and both were directed by Campbell. The Mask of Zorro was damned fun, but I didn’t care for any of his other pieces. I outright hated Vertical Limit. I’ve yet to watch The Foreigner, but right now, considering his batting average with me, I’m nervous to take a look at it.

No Escape had tons of potential, Liotta is solid, and he’s surrounded by a strong cast. But it just doesn’t do it for me. Course, they aren’t all going to be winners, but I had hoped that a revisit with this one after so many years would allow me to enjoy it this time out.

Sorry Ray.