The Taking of Pelham 123
October 19, 2009
Good, but not great. Overall, a solid caper film. Travolta and Denzel lead an all star cast in a very dark and gritty hijack movie that takes place on a New York subway. Director Tony Scott uses his signature style of film making (Man on Fire, Dejavu). Unusual lighting and wild camera work to isolate and highlight actions scenes and important character issues.
Both John Travolta and Denzel Washington give strong performances as always. The movie just never really seems to hit that exceptional stride that Scott’s other movies seem to achieve.
Ryder-Travolta hijacks the Lexington line subway with a small group of heavily armed gunmen. Un-linking all the cars from the main engine car, leaving him and his crew with a packed car of hostages parked on the tracks in the most opportune spot in the tunnel. When he calls the main transit station to make his demands, he gets Walter Garber-Denzel. Garber and Ryder quickly begin to face off for control of the situation and the hostages. In an all too familiar plot standard, no one is all they seem to be. The good guys are a little bad and the bad guys are a little good. Nothing is ever black and white. The battle of force and whits continue to a sort of anti climactic ending. Don’t get me wrong, the movie isn’t bad. Its just, with this cast, you’d expect spectacular.
The acting is good, the cast is great, the action and tension are pretty good too. It just leaves you wanting so much more. Is it What-to-Watch? Sure.
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2 Comments, Comment or Ping
Mikayla
Hey Phil, just watched this last week and I totally agree – it was good but not great. I love both John Travolta and Denzel Washington, and found the movie entertaining, but not the movie I would put on if I wanted to see them at their best.
Nov 21st, 2009
Phil
Thanks, I had pretty high expectations too.
Nov 22nd, 2009
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