Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s underrated movie Escape Plan is a must-watch now that it’s available to stream on Prime Video. Stallone and Schwarzenegger had previously worked together for the first time in The Expendables a few years prior, but Escape Plan is the first time the two are seen as a true duo on screen. Escape Plan revolves around the imprisonment of prison security tester Ray Breslin (Stallone) and his combined efforts with fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer (Schwarzenegger) to escape The Tomb —a notoriously inescapable prison.

Escape Plan is far from the gritty and memorable action films Stallone and Schwarzenegger are known for, but it is still a fun prison escape movie that’s been largely overlooked throughout the years. Escape Plan has earned mixed reviews from critics and didn’t perform well at the domestic box office, though it was a success internationally. Stallone and Schwarzenegger —who were famous rivals before warming up to one another and becoming friends— are a well-paired duo on screen, with strong enough chemistry to keep the movie pushing forward even in its weaker moments.

Escape Plan Is A Hidden Gem Featuring Schwarzenegger & Stallone

The Chemistry And History Of The Two In The Action Genre Make The Movie Worth Watching

Stallone and Schwarzenegger were each some of the biggest and most sought-after action stars during the 1980s and 1990s. Escape Plan‘s script doesn’t fully utilize Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s charm in the genre, but the veteran action stars do just enough to make the movie a worthwhile watch for anyone familiar with their celebrated work, like The Terminator and First Blood. The premise of Escape Plan certainly doesn’t revamp the formula of prison escape films, but the movie incorporates just enough solid twists to keep audiences invested and guessing until the end.

Additionally, Stallone and Schwarzenegger are supported by a strong group of actors who portray a variety of mysterious figures that make Ray and Emil’s planned escape a bit more difficult. Hobbes, the malicious owner of The Tomb, is played effectively by Jim Caviezel, and Vincent D’Onofrio appears in Escape Plan as Ray’s business partner Lester Clark, who has a hidden agenda relating to the former’s imprisonment.

Escape Plan never takes full advantage of Stallone and Schwarzenegger’s ’80s fame in the action genre, making it a disappointment to those wishing to relive the intensity and energetic atmosphere of the actors’ career-defining work. Yet, of the action films Stallone and Schwarzenegger have made in more recent years, Escape Plan is still one of the better-received movies in both actors’ filmographies, reᴀssuring audiences that the two are still fine forces in the genre decades after their prime.

There’s Actually An Entire Escape Plan Franchise

Escape Plan Spawned Two Sequels Without Schwarzenegger

Escape Plan wasn’t a mᴀssive commercial or critical success, but it did spawn a franchise. Stallone reprises his role as Ray in the remainder of the Escape Plan franchise, but Schwarzenegger doesn’t return. The sequel films Escape Plan 2: Hades and Escape Plan: The Extractors were both straight-to-DVD releases, though they did earn theatrical releases in a few select countries outside the United States. The plots of Hades and The Extractors are quite similar and straightforward, with Stallone’s Ray Breslin embarking on risky escape missions with the help of people both inside and outside top-secret prisons.

Of the three movies, Hades is by far the worst-received Escape Plan film and earned largely negative reviews due to its uninspired characters and routine action sequences. Luckily, while The Extractors doesn’t necessarily surpᴀss the spectacle and fun of Escape Plan, it is an appreciated step up from Hades and is a solid end to the franchise. While Escape Plan and its succeeding films never became acclaimed staples in the action genre, they are still compelling prison escape movies that should be enjoyed for their digestible plots and the dynamic chemistry between Stallone and Schwarzenegger.