\”On the face of it, the warden "Eddie Albert" maybe wasn't having his brightest idea when he decides that his prisoners should play a game of American football against his guards, but when a former pro is sent down for eighteen months after an altercation with a Citröen and the harbour, he has just the man to put together an opposing team. "Crewe" (Burt Reynolds) is offered preferential treatment for himself - and that might well mean early release, and for his team and so he and fellow inmate "Nate" (Michael Conrad) start recruiting. Obviously, there are no storage of volunteers but what starts off as a bit of glorified prank starts to mean something a little more to the team, and to "Crewe" himself as he must balance his selfish promises to the governor with the aspirations of a team that finally have some sense of purpose in their lives. With that conflict building as the game grows ever closer, just what will "Crewe" decide to do? It's all a little predictable on that last front, but Reynolds turns in quite a charismatic performance and Albert an equally dastardly one as the drama comedically illustrates the futility of imprisonment as a method of reintegrating folks into society. There's an entertaining mix of stereotypical inmates from which to choose from, and plenty of action towards the end giving us quite a sense of how perilous this ball game can be coupled with some entertaining shunts, bumps and black eyes.”

CinemaSerf