In the same vein as Cool Hand Luke but definitely much, much darker. A review of 'Papillon' starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek. A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape. Papillon is hell-bent on the concept of live free or die trying. A semi-fictional account of Henri Charrière's time in the penal system in French Guyana - some of it spent on infamous Devil's Island - is presented. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. With Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Victor Jory, Don Gordon. It's the early 1930s. Review: ‘Papillon’ update can’t escape routine direction Rami Malek, left, and Charlie Hunnam in a scene from the movie “Papillon.” (Jose Haro / Bleecker Street) ‘Papillon’ ★★★ Bleecker Street presents a film directed by Michael Noer and written by Aaron Guzikowski, inspired by a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and books by Henry Charriere. PAPILLON follows the epic story of Henri “Papillon” Charrière (Charlie Hunnam), a safecracker from the Parisian underworld who is framed for murder and condemned to life in the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island. Movie Review: Papillon 35 % Overall Score There’s a reason studios rarely attempt to remake a Steve McQueen movie: nearly 40 years after his death, few contemporary actors can rule a screen with that kind of easy, commanding cool that makes you root for him no matter how dastardly his deeds. A remake of the 1973 classic. The film contains an interesting play on friendship, isolation, madness and how the three can mix when put to the ultimate survival test. A grim, authentically brutal film about the escape of notorious French felon Henri "Papillon" Charriere (Steve McQueen) from the supposedly inescapable prison fortress of Devil's Island.