Against the Wall

The film opens with a rapid montage of late 1960s and early 1970s news footage, including the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, the Kent State shootings, and the Watts riots. This sequence sets the political fever surrounding Attica and foreshadows the prisoners' demand for basic human rights within the facility. It frames the uprising as part of a larger national struggle rather than a single incident.

A 22-year-old Smith gets a barber shop haircut, then reports to work as a corrections officer at Attica. He is drawn by pay and a sense of responsibility, contrasting with the quiet streets of Attica. The scene begins to map out his conflict between duty and conscience.

The film follows Smith and inmate Jamaal X on their first day, cutting between their parallel experiences. The harsh prison conditions are revealed as guards abuse prisoners and basic needs go unmet. Cross-cutting underscores the chasm between the guards' authority and the inmates' humanity.

Rumors of degrading conditions spread as politicized prisoners demand better treatment. Jamaal X emerges as a leader in the fight for prisoner rights, inspiring others to challenge the status quo. Smith begins to see the humanity behind the inmates, forcing him to confront his own complicity.

Smith is the only officer who treats inmates with respect, and his sympathy makes his coworkers wary. Veteran officers like Lieutenant Weisbad insist on unchallengeable control, often resorting to humiliation to maintain order. The clash foreshadows the breakdown of routine authority.

During a shift in the metal shop, Smith is beaten by prisoners, a brutal turn that shatters his willingness to follow orders. The attack marks a turning point, pushing him to reassess his role in the system. He begins to question whether he can stay loyal to supervisors who tolerate abuse.

Chaka and other inmates overwhelm some officers and take them hostage when a gate malfunctions. Jamaal X protects the hostages, understanding that killing them would derail any chance to negotiate with officials. The uprising moves from protests to a threatened crisis.

Smith refuses to humiliate himself to obtain basic needs, telling his fellow officers that he wasn't a guard long enough to learn how to be a prisoner. Jamaal begins to respect his integrity, and their uneasy alliance grows. The hostages' fate becomes tied to their mutual dignity rather than brute force.

Jamaal recruits Smith to speak to a news crew and testify that the hostages have not been tortured or killed. The testimony reframes public perception and gives the prisoners a negotiable stake in the outcome. Smith's confidence and sense of self-worth begin to crystallize.

During the press conference, Smith hints that dignity matters more to him than the approval of others. The moment signals a shift in the uprising's narrative, spotlighting Smith's personal transformation. Jamaal's alliance with him solidifies under media scrutiny.

On the fifth day, New York's governor ends negotiations and orders a raid by law enforcement and soldiers. Tear gas fills the corridors as inmates and hostages scramble to respond to the breach. The stage is set for a violent conclusion.

The assault erupts with indiscriminate gunfire and choking gas as lines of law enforcement move in. Chaka and Lieutenant Weisbad are killed amid the chaos, marking the dramatic toll of the crackdown. The prison's control structure collapses under external force.

In the violence of the raid, Smith is shot several times in the stomach by a fellow New York State Police officer. Jamaal X is wounded by a stray bullet, and the uprising's violent end is brought into sharp relief. Both men survive the immediate crisis but are forever changed.

The epilogue presents statistics showing a 300 percent rise in the U.S. prison population since the uprising, highlighting ongoing overcrowding and human rights concerns. The Attica riot is portrayed as a catalyst for the broader prison reform debate that followed. The film closes by tying personal courage to systemic critique.