Inspired by the 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment in America, this is a splendidly violent and claustrophobic movie.
A group of 20 men are split into 2 groups, prisoners and wardens and told to act out the roles for 2 weeks. After only 6 days the results of the experiment were so shocking that it was stopped, this film portrays what "might" have happened if it had been allowed to continue.
Although this film takes the Experiment beyond it's real conclusion it still maintains many of the things that actually happened. (there are loads of websites dedicated to this experiment) It is truly terrifying and is one of the best films I have seen this year. Maurice Bleibtrieb (I think that's his name) from Run Lola Run is particularly outstanding as the rebellious prisoner.
I feel perhaps that there should have been a disclaimer at the start of this movie stating that it was a fictional account of what might have happened, as I knew nothing of this case at the time I watched the film and honestly believed that it had happened as portrayed.
Still it gets a very worthy 9 out of 10, and I recommend that you see it.
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