The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

As just about anyone with any interest knows, this film is a re-make, or, more accurately a re-imagining of the original film of the same name made in 1974. I'm not going to waste any time making comparisons, or ruminating on the issue of which film is superior, or whether or not this film "needed" to be made. I believe that any film, whether based on a book, TV show, or previous film should stand on its own, and I'm very happy to report that this one does. For anyone not familiar with the story, here's a brief summary: A New York City subway car with hostages has been commandeered, and the bad guys are asking for a large ransom, which if they don't receive in an hour, will cause the death of the hostages on board. That's pretty much it, and for almost two hours it's enough to keep your undivided attention. John Travolta plays the chief bad guy, he calls himself Ryder, get it, and he plays his role with just the right amount of the sociopath. Denzel Washington plays the train dispatcher who just happens to take Ryder's call from the subway and ends up with unenviable task of trying to prevent him from killing his hostages. In the process he becomes part confessor, part analyst, and Ryder even considers him as a sort of friend. As an everyman thrust into an extraordinary situation he's simply perfect. The tension keeps building as the two leads play their psychological games leading to the climax. James Gandolfini plays the Mayor, and he looks like a Rudy Giuliani who's spent too much time at the Viennese table. He adds a little comic relief, and in his smallish role is quite good. This is an excellent "popcorn" movie, and I mean this in the most positive way. Exciting, fun, and OK, not the most realistic film you'll see, but then again, if you want realism, well, I guess you could always take the subway during the morning rush.

Rating - 3 1/2 Stars