Film Reviews

~ The Taking of Pelham 123 ~

I can’t say that I was a huge fan of the original Pelham 123 on which this remake is based, but at least the script had its memorable moments and the actors (Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw) managed to bring across their respective characters convincingly without the need for complicated and un-required back stories. Here Travolta and Washington seem ill suited to the roles with dialogue that undermines their talents, particularly in Travolta’s case as he almost becomes caricature in his madness.

What first appears to be a well executed bluff, possibly a character trait to throw the audience into thinking this was part of his master plan ala Swordfish, Travolta turns out to be nothing more than a crazed idiot. Spouting lines such as “lick my bunghole” while executing passengers amid psychotic tantrums intercut with updates on Wall Street as he checks the current stock market, making him far more disturbed than dangerous.

Washington is easily the better of the two but he also gets a rough ride playing the dull bureaucratic control room worker tied to his desk. Having to dilute his usual onscreen charisma to play an everyman thrown into becoming a flat hero through a series of contrivances. Both roles loosing some of the onscreen magic the 1974 original managed to capture.

I’ve sometimes found director Tony Scott to be a man who deliver’s more style over substance so I was prepared for at least a few high octane car chases and impressive explosions if not the most engaging storyline. Sadly there is so little suspense here that you start to question the implausibility of it all.

The usual array of sweeping camera moves, jumps cuts and blurred staccato edits do augment some scenes but ultimately become a case of look at what I can do, opposed to look at what I’m trying to say.

The fact that one of the final scenes involving a bungled ransom delivery at the hands of the boys in blue stands out above the films climax should go someway to demonstrate what to expect from this - yet another - disappointing remake.

**