Sylvester Stallone opts for some grittier material after the cartoon heroics of his Rambo and Rocky characters, but this proves to be almost as disastrous as his forays into comedy. He plays a nice criminal on the verge of being released, who is whisked away to a gothic prison hell presided over by Donald Sutherland. Stallone acts moody and indulges in a spot of mud wrestling, while Darlanne Fluegel, as his girlfriend, frets at home, and it's left to Sutherland to provide the only fun as the wildly over-the-top warden. John Flynn, the director of marvellous macho thrillers such as The Outfit and Best Seller, loses his way in a flood of testosterone and prison movie clichés.

Frank Leone is nearing the end of his prison term for a relatively minor crime. Just before he is paroled, however, Warden Drumgoole takes charge. Drumgoole was assigned to a hell-hole prison after his administration was publicly humiliated by Leone, and has now arrived on the scene to ensure that Leone never sees the light of day.