Saw 'The Taking of Pelham 123' tonight. Go check http://Twitter.com/ColinMansfield for my 140 character review (or even http://facebook.com/ColinMansfield). Read on for the whole enchilada.
I believe every movie that is worth seeing has one thing in common. They suspend your disbelief; they make you forget your in a cold dark room watching a 20ft screen. Some of the best ways films do this, I believe, is by appealing to the underdog, by relating to the normal joe. Not everyone can dress up in tights and fight crime, but nearly everyone will, at some point, face a moral or ethical dilemma. Good movies often capitalize on this fact (think Die Hard or any Disney Sports flick.)
Pelham 123 had a simple enough set up (I
think it was a remake, actually.) Bad guy (John Travolta) hijacks a New York subway and demands hostage money. Rather than speaking to police, however, he insists on talking to the subway controler who first answered his radio (Denzel Washington). The movie is well written, well acted, and well executed.
Going back to my earlier thought, Pelham did a fantastic job of giving the Average Bob the spotlight- and man does he shine! Each moment-by-moment decision gives his character room to grow; so much so that by the end of it I felt as though I was making the decisions.
Was this movie perfect? No, not even near it. I could have done without the swearing, that's for sure. That being said, it's hard to spot blemishes when something moves as fast as Pelham 123. Might take a few more viewings ;-)
Overall: go see it! If you can sit through cussing, you'll be more than entertained!
Colin
-- Posted from my iPhone --
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