You know when you hear a movie is being remade, and then you realize the original is perfect as it is, and the remake is surely never going to be as good? Yep, that’s how we feel about The Taking of Pelham 123, courtesy of the late director, Tony Scott. Based on Joseph Sargent’s 1974 heist thriller of the same name, one of the finest action thrillers in Hollywood history, it was always an uphill battle. Still, if you’re curious, it’s streaming for free this month.
Starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, this flashy adaptation, to many, is all style and no substance, with the film sadly failing to make the same mark as its predecessor. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film fell to almost half the score of Sargent’s effort, with critics awarding the movie just 51%, and audiences 52%. For those yet to see the Washington-led effort, a synopsis for the movie reads:
“Chaos reigns in the New York City subway system when heavily armed criminals, led by a mastermind named Ryder (Travolta), hijack a subway train and threaten to kill everyone on board unless a large ransom is paid. Dispatcher Walter Garber (Washington) uses his extensive knowledge of the transit system in a bid to outwit the hijackers and save the hostages, but one question remains: even if the hijackers get their money, how can they possibly escape?”
Is ‘The Taking of Pelham 123’ Worth Seeing?
Collider’s review of the film was scathing, awarding it a D- score, which should tell you all you need to know. Of course, Washington and Travolta are always engaging screen presences, but they’re not enough to salvage this.
“Most frustrating is that this remake could have been surprisingly good. In addition to the technological upgrades and the post-9/11 setting, Travolta’s character, in terms of dialogue, is an interesting villain as he’s set up as someone who manipulates the stock market and always blames others for his misdeeds. Under the terrible “thug” threads and painful acting, there’s a fresh and timely character waiting to be unleashed. And under Scott’s “look-at-me” editing, there’s a story that, with a little bit of polish, could be a tight little thriller, but Scott couldn’t care less about any of that.”
The Taking of Pelham 123 is streaming now on Pluto TV. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on your favorite streaming movies.
