As long as you are okay with accepting a plethora of absurdities in the plot, Tony Scott’s remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 is a fun ride. This is the kind of summer movie that is meant to be experienced more than analyzed. By now anyone who has seen a trailer for the picture knows the basic plot. John Travolta plays a former Wall Street man who has hijacked a New York subway and taken hostages. Denzell Washington plays an MTA official who must find a peaceful solution to the public crisis. As we all know, Denzell Washington can do no wrong as an actor. Travolta, on the other hand, can do wrong and does in this picture. He is so over the top in his crazed terrorist posturing that I found him more humorous than chilling.
But, this movie isn’t really about the acting. It’s about the suspense inherent in the plot. Some in the press have discussed how the filmmakers were given unprecedented access to New York subways and MTA transit centers in the making of this movie. I don’t doubt that this is true. However, it’s impossible to discern the setting’s authenticity with Tony Scott’s camera continually whizzing around in fevered patterns of aggression. We’re not so much watching an action movie as playing a high-energy video game.
If you’re looking for a movie that has the slightest semblance of thoughtfulness or purpose, this film isn’t for you. But, heck, we’re in the middle of the summer action pic season. Why not get out of the heat, grab some popcorn, and turn your mind off for a couple of hours? I had great fun immersing myself in this frenzied picture, and then calmly taking the subway home.
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