Lock Up (1989) - Stallone's Prison Break That's Actually... Pretty Good?

Okay, so I'm on my Stallone kick (following his whole filmography, naturally) and I just watched Lock Up from '89. I gotta say, I was expecting something a little more...campy? But honestly, it was pretty engaging. Directed by John Flynn apparently, which I didn't realize going in. Never really looked into his filmography, but he seems like he was a B-movie action director. Anyway, the premise is that Stallone's character, Frank Leone, is finishing up his sentence when he gets transferred to a new prison run by a super vindictive warden (Drumgoole, played by Donald Sutherland, who is perfect as the villain). Turns out, Leone escaped from Drumgoole's prison years ago and embarrassed him, so Drumgoole's out for revenge. It's a pretty straightforward revenge flick, but the prison setting feels really claustrophobic and the supporting cast is surprisingly great. I especially loved the scenes with Dallas (Tom Sizemore) and First Base (Tony Sirico from The Sopranos!). There's a really great camaraderie among Leone and his cellmates that makes you actually care about them. And Sutherland just chews the scenery in the best way possible, making you genuinely hate Drumgoole. The plot can get a bit predictable at times, but the action is well-done, and Stallone gives a surprisingly nuanced performance here. He's not just punching his way out of everything; you actually see him struggling with the emotional toll of Drumgoole's psychological warfare. I will say the ending felt a little rushed and maybe wrapped up a little TOO neatly, but overall, Lock Up was a solid watch. It's not gonna win any awards for originality, but it's a well-made, entertaining prison flick with a strong villain and some heart. I'm surprised it's not talked about more often! Definitely a hidden gem in Stallone's filmography. On a totally related note, do any of you know of other prison movies that have a similar vibe? I'm trying to expand on this sub-genre after watching Lock Up...