Last Light (1993 TV Movie) User Reviews

Character driven but underdeveloped.....

[merklekranz · 6/10 · 14 January 2008]

Not bad as prison movies go. Definitely not stereotyped, because "Last Light" is a lot deeper than most of this type. There are problems however. First, too much dialog is garbled by background noise, making it difficult to understand. Second, several characters appear for one brief scene and are never heard from again. This makes one wonder if they were necessary to the script in the first place. If you come in with realistic expectations you will not be disappointed, as the acting by Forest Whitaker and Kiefer Sutherland is very good. I would rank "Last Light" well behind another Kiefer Sutherland directed film "The Killing Time". Marginally recommended. - MERK

Superb low-key prison movie

[AndoMando · 8/10 · 6 December 2002]

Kiefer Sutherland, star of TV's '24', directs and stars in this superb low-key prison movie.

Forrest Whitaker is the guard who slowly be-friends a prisoner on death row, and who's friendship and understanding of the in-mate causes his private life to slowly suffer.

The performances are all superb, especially from Sutherland, and there is also good support from Clancy Brown, who played the evil prison guard in the legendary 'Shawshank Redemption'. The climatic ending is also well constructed, powerful and tense. This is a lot better than most TV movies out there and deserves a big audience.

8.5 out of 10.

This was a TV movie?? Wow...

[UK_Melia · 20 October 2003]

I've never written a review on here before but after seeing 'Last Light' I felt compelled to do it.

If you want to see a well-crafted film about life on the Row - maybe you enjoyed 'Shawshank Redemption' or 'Dead Man Walking' - then give this one a try as well. Kiefer Sutherland and Forest Whitaker turn in fantastic performances. I love character study films and this one did not let me down. Kiefer was only 27-ish when he starred AND directed this hidden gem of a movie. I am amazed by that. And I've always loved Forest in anything he does and he doesn't disappoint me here. 'Last Light' is gripping, intense and the final sequence is shot beautifully - I cared a great deal about the characters by the end of the film.

I actually dug around on the Internet to find this one and I bought it and added it to my collection. Great work altogether from everyone involved. I give it top ratings.

One of the best movies ever!

[neo55 · 10/10 · 7 November 2004]

Last Light was the first Kiefer Sutherland direction I saw and thought "Oh my God! Give me more!". The subject of the movie is controversy without doubt, but the movie shows the situation in the USA kind of provocative on one hand and also sensitive on the other. It made me think about it, and that's the important thing. The acting was great in generous, especially the one of Kiefer Sutherland. It's one of his best performances ever. The Soundtrack is perfect! How else could it be. Jude Cole never let us down (remember Truth or Consequences or Woman Wanted).

If you have the chance to see this movie, just do it! I almost couldn't hold my tears at the end...

Death row inmate is befriended by guard.

[Simba-5 · 11 August 1998]

Keifer Sutherland is a product of the system - foster homes and juvenile halls. He is on death row when a new guard is assigned to him - played by Forrest Whitaker. Forrest has personal problems stemming from a violent upbringing and feels for Keifer. An excellent depiction of a friendship that was hard to build, another solid production for Sutherland (Truth or Consequences).

A defining film of High Quality

[gashmanflirty · 9/10 · 25 April 2011]

I would like to start off by saying this is a must watch. I have used IMDb on many occasions to determine whether i should watch a film, but take this from me- you should watch this. Even though Kiefer Sutherland ( of which i am a great admirer ) is billed as the star actor, Forest Whitaker really takes over this one. Its a film with emotion but enjoyable to watch. And its a film I respect for its quality as TV film. I was surprised to see Kiefer directing but he did more than a great jobb. But once again Whitaker's acting skills here were immense. Finally it is focused on a small amount of characters, making the focus of the film a lot better.

You'll see the light

[videorama-759-859391 · 9/10 · 22 December 2021]

It's been a long time, since I've really seen a movie, I liked, as much as this one. We all know how these execution movies end, and they really can't any other way. I didn't think I'd enjoy this, as much as I did. Last Light is in an almost different class to other death row movies, and there has been many other good ones- Dead Man Walking springs straight to mind. But this low budget flick, steered by one of the greatest actors of his generation, has something special about it. Sutherland's ex con, character from the get go, where we find him in the hole, smothered in faecies, somehow wants us to sympathize with him, but we know too, there is a manipulation playing about.. Newbie prison guard (Whitaker-solid) becomes Sutherland's minder, until that big dreaded day and the end of his wait of execution. Of course, a friendship forms, but becomes more, than that. What really works in contrast, is Whitaker's fascinating and strong willed character, the sort that doesn't take, you know, from anyone, even going up against a corrupt collegue (Clancy Brown) drawing a few parallels to his electric performance as a prison guard in The Shawshank Redemption. I'm certain, director Rob Reiner cast him in the latter, after seeing Brownin this. Sutherland, who always holds his own, an actor in so many great roles, makes and directs good films, where sadly this would be hidden under much obscurity. Just ask someone to name of string of excecution films, and see Last Light comes up. A shame, as this should be on everyone's radar. A truly inspiring, affecting, movie experience.