The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3: Movie Review (2009)

Directed by Tony Scott, written by Brian Helgeland, 95 minutes, rated R.

The brisk new Tony Scott thriller, “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” is a remake of the 1974 original and like that film, it takes place mostly in the bowels of New York City, specifically its subway system, which long has carried its share of baggage, particularly in the wake of 9-11.

Since then, the talk has been tense. When and if terrorists strike that city again, would they take their underground war literally to the underground, either by releasing toxins into the air that would kill people, or arming themselves with bombs with the intent to do the same?

By their very nature, subways always have been a dicey proposition--and perfect fodder for movies. Scott understands this and employs it, using the unknown of what lurks below to bolster our fears with pleasurable jolts that aren’t much of a stretch. Well, at least not too much of a stretch.

From Brian Helgeland’s script, “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” begins with a crazed faction of American terrorists led by the mysterious Ryder (John Travolta). Together, these men hijack a subway train, take their share of hostages, and demand $10 million for their release within one hour. If the mayor (James Gandolfini) can’t come up with the money in time, Ryder promises that one passenger will die for every minute that passes beyond the one-hour limit.

Their point man is Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), a transit officer with an unfortunate past that led to his own demotion within the Transit Authority itself. Adding to his run of bad luck is that on this particular day, it’s he who’s in charge of the route taken by Ryder’s hijacked train. And so when the train fails to move along its path, Garber reaches out to speak to its conductor, finds himself connected with Ryder, and suddenly is in the position of hostage negotiations.

Assisting him to that end is John Turturro as one of the city’s key hostage negotiators, but since Ryder wants nothing to do with him, the weight of saving 18 lives comes down to Garber, who must keep his wits about him while he reasons with a madman. Meanwhile, money is hustled across Manhattan to reach its destination in time, with plenty of harrowing car and motorcycle races threaded throughout for action.

About the action. Scott long has been a director who relies on slick, quick-cut editing to drive his films, and that’s no exception here, particularly in the opening credits, which are so hyped up, they’re distracting to the point of being annoying. The good news is that eventually, the busy work being done in the editing bay is taken over by movie, which absorbs the false sense of momentum rapid editing provides with real momentum propelled by the story and the characters themselves.

Lifting the movie further are Travolta and Washington themselves. With his goatee and fake tattoos, it’s safe to say you’ve never seen Travolta quite like this before. He’s hardcore, and it works. As for Washington, he infuses the movie with the kind of humanity it needs to ground it. And so, while the movie had a few problems with logic that’s best left for the screen, it’s nevertheless worth a look.

Grade: B

View the trailer for "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" here: