《肖申克的救赎》影评(英文版)

TheShawshankRedemptionWhenprisonshowsupinfrontyou,whichfilmfirstlycomesintoyourmind,Felon,PrisonBreak,EscapePlan,ormaybeotherHollywoodblockbusters?Forme,TheShawshankRedemptionistheone.Aslotsofpeoplesaid,allofmenhavetowatchthisfilm,ifdon’t,theywilldefinitelyregretintheirlife.However,Ican’ttotallyagreewiththiskindofopinion.Eventhoughthereisnoleadingactressinthefilm,ithasnothingtowiththeaudiences’genders,becausenomatterwhatyouare,asaflesh-and-bloodhumanbeing,youcanfeelthepassionandinsistenceofpursuinghope,freedominthisfilm,meanwhile,youalsocanrealizehowupsetandpitifulaninstitutionalizedpersoncanbe.ItwasthefirstyearofmycollegelifewhenIwatchedTheShawshankRedemption.I’vewatcheditformorethanfivetimesuntilnow,andeachtimeIgotdifferentexperienceandfeelingsaboutthisspecialartwork.Atthefirsttime,Ijustthoughtlotsofpeoplelikedit,becausesomanyfriendsaroundmeweretalkingaboutitveryoften.ThenItoldmyselfmaybeIshouldwatchitinordertofindsomesimilaritieswithothers.Althoughthisfilmhadn’thadexcitingfightsandmanyworld-knownstarsformetwoyearsago,itstillmadeadeepimpressiononmeandmademeawfullymoved.Themostimpressivepersontomeatthattime,nowhestillistheone,ofcourse,wasAndy.Andyhadtoservetwolifesentencesforhemurderedhiswifeandherlover,hetriedtodefendforhimselfbecausehiswasinnocent,alloftheevidencewasagainsthim,however.Afterhavingmadeuphimmindtoescapefromtheprison,Andynevergaveuphis“career”—todigatunnelwithatinyhammer.ThiswastheprimaryvirtuethatIlovedhimsomuch.Hewouldneverspeakemptywords,thatis,ifhedecidedtodosomething,hewouldinsistonnomatterhowmanypeoplelackfaithinhim,evenlaughedathim.Red,oneoftheoldandimportantpersonsintheprison,saidthatitwouldtake600yearstoexcavatearoutetothehope.Yetthetruthwas:Andyspent20yearsdiggingatunneltogettotheoutsideworld.Later,whenIbecameasophomore,IconstantlywatchedTheShawshankRedemptionaroundthreetimes,andIgotadeeperunderstandingofit.Lotsofquestionscametome--WhydidthecourtannounceAndyguiltandputhiminprison?WhydidnoofficialsdiscoverthatAndylaunderedmoneyforthewarden,Norton?WhycouldAndymakeapersonwhohadbeenexistedbeforeheescapedfromtheShawshank?Thesequestionswereseemlynoteasytoanswer,butoneword,flawsinthesystem,couldmakeit.WhenAndywassenttotheShawshank,hetriedtokeephimselffromtroublesashedidn’tspeakawordofanything.Heknewhewasguiltless,buthestillcoulddonothingtoprovehisinnocence.Andywasputinprisonwhichindicatedthatthereweresomeflawsinthejudicialsystem.Manyyearsdraggedby,Andygraduallyshowedhistalentofbanking,andhehelpedsolvethetaxproblemsoftheguardsandaccumulatethefilthywealthforNorton,whichimpliedthatthetaxevasionandcorruptionwereveryserious.Morethantwentyyearsofbitterlifeintheprison,AndyfinallyfledfromtheShawshankandlivedabrandnewlifeinZihuatanejo.Hadthejudgmentnotbeenerroneous,Andyprobablywouldnothavebeensenttojail.Hadthesystembeenclear,AndyprobablywouldnotbecomeNorton’slaunderingmachine.Hadthesystembeencomplete,Andyprobablywouldnotliveapeacefullifeanymore.Themostimportantthingwas:ifthesystemwasexactlyunbroken,TheShawshankRedemption wouldneverbeasuccess.Therefore,Ipersuadedmyself–itwasamatterofhumannatureinsteadofthesystem,becauseanysoundsystemsweremanipulatedbyman.Themanipulatorshaveaprofoundimpactonthesystem:theywereinintegrity,sowerethesystem;themanipulatorswerecorrupt,sothewholesystemwouldbesame.Theaboveviewsmightnotbecorrect,butIcouldn’tthinkaboutit.Fortunately,Andychallengedtheofficialguardsseveraltimestoenjoythefreedomandhopeinthedarkness.Hegavethechiefprisonguardadviceonthetaxproblemsattheriskofhislifetorequiresomebeerforhiscoworkers.Hepersistedinwritingletterstothestatesenatetoaskforfundsoastoreformandexpandthelibrary.HeventuredtobroadcastMozart’smusicallovertheprisontoremindhisinmatesofthefreedomandhope.Letputthisinanotherway,Andychallengednotonlytheguardsbutalsothesystems.Recently,I’vewatchedthisblockbusteragain,andIlearnedoneword,institutionalize,whichhasbecomeabuzzwordinmyclass.Redhadservicedintheprisonforseveraldecades,hecalledhimselfaninstitutionalizedman.Heheldafirmbeliefthathemightbeusefulintheprison,becausehecouldgetthingsfortheinmates,onthecontrary,hewouldfailtomakeitontheoutsideworldwherepeoplemadegreatchanges.Redhadalreadylosthishopeafterhavingspentmostofhislifeintheprison,andhisbeliefwasmoreintensifiedwhentheoldBrookscommittedsuicideduringhisparole.ItwasthemostessentialpointthatmadeReddifferentfromAndywhohadhopetosupporthimselfafterbeingabusedbythreeofhisinmates,keephimselfaliveduringthepunishmentinthesolitarycell,andurgehimselftomakeawaytothefreedom.TheoldRedwasaninstitutionalizedman,sohehadtoreportthemanagerwhenhewantedtopeeduringthework.Redhadtheexactsamefeelings—failedtoadapttotherapidchangingworldandlivedinfear---asBrooksduringhisparole.Ifhedidn’tmakepromisetoAndy,hewouldbedeadsomehow.Aftermeetinghiscommitment,RedreallystartedhisnewjourneyasAndytoldRed“Hopeisagoodthing,andnogoodthingeverdies.”OnhiswaytofindAndy,Redfinallypickuphishope---hehopedhecouldmakeitacrosstheborder;hehopedtoseeAndyandshakehishands;hehopedthePacificwasasblueasithadbeeninhisdreams.AndyandRed,twosimilarmenalmosthadnothingincommonintheShawshank,theyeventuallyalienatedthemselvesfrom