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Hollywood is so scared of risks, it even remakes movies that weren’t classics in the first place. In 1974, "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" was a nifty little thriller highlighted by a deliciously fun cat-and-mouse game between its protagonists. It also had a witty screenplay by Oscar-winning scribe Peter Stone. But, classic? Not in my opinion, though others may disagree.
Yet, here we are with an expensive-looking remake starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. The good news is it works. Sure, it’s too busy and there’s a million back stories, but director Tony Scott keeps things so fast-paced viewers never have time to notice.
New York City transit dispatcher Walter Garber (Washington) happens to be on duty when crooks hijack a subway, demanding $10 million. The City has an hour to come up with the cash or the crooks will kill a hostage every minute the money’s late. Ryder (Travolta) is the criminal mastermind who engages Garber in a battle of wits.
One of the fun things about the original was the interplay between the characters. The hostages were almost-comic stereotypes of New Yorkers and only one hijacker was what you would call a thug. Other than Travolta and veteran character actor Luis Guzman, the other hijackers in the remake are central casting killers with well-developed muscles and very little dialogue. The movie is mostly the back-and-forth between the leads with a lot of high-octane action tossed in.
I’m not sure Washington has ever given a bad performance, but this is one of his better ones. It’s a delight to see this two-time Oscar-winner give a master class in screen acting as he fights for the lives of the passengers.
Travolta, on the other hand, turns it up a bit too much. I never buy him as a psychotic thug, yet, like Scott’s all-over-the-place direction, it manages to work.
"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" is a loud, engaging thriller saved from silliness by a marvelous performance from a star still very much in his prime.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
R
Three reels out of four
In area theaters tomorrow
Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail
PG-13
Available Tuesday
Tyler Perry may look silly dressed as a woman, but he’s laughing all the way to the bank. His latest, "Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail" grossed more than $90 mil, making it his most successful movie to date.
This time Madea (Perry) gets some jail time after a high-speed chase. In the slammer, she befriends a troubled young woman (Keshia Knight Pulliam) while dispensing her patented advice.
The film also stars Derek Luke and recent Oscar-nominee Viola Davis.
