This story about the hijacking of a subway train is getting its third telling. The two succeeding ones have had plot differences with the original classic that pitted Transit cop Walter Matthau with head hijacker Robert Shaw.
This version of The Taking of Pelham 123 has Denzel Washington not as a transit cop, but the station manager and the Grand Central command headquarters. As he's the one who answers the call from hijacker John Travolta, Travolta fixates on Washington and tries to develop a relationship with him of sorts. I'm sure this wasn't what Washington had in mind when he went to work that day.
Washington's in a bad situation, the Transit Authority has no confidence in him because of charges pending, but Transit Cop John Turturro has to deal with him, play the hand Travolta is dealing so to speak.
The biggest difference between this and the original Pelham was in the hijacker's character. Robert Shaw was one cool operator under pressure, the rest of his team less so, but he doesn't let anything rattle him. Even when he kills it's a matter of purely business.
Travolta is one loose cannon who flies off the handle with little discernible provocation. That's the main problem with this version. The plot goes well beyond this hijacking, in fact the key to the film is who Travolta is and what he did in his past. And someone that crazy would not be doing what he did before.
Nevertheless Travolta and Washington make an interesting pair of adversaries. And the action sequences are well done with the computer graphics not available for the first one.
Still I miss Walter Matthau and that never to be forgotten expression on his face as the first Pelham ended.
This version of The Taking of Pelham 123 has Denzel Washington not as a transit cop, but the station manager and the Grand Central command headquarters. As he's the one who answers the call from hijacker John Travolta, Travolta fixates on Washington and tries to develop a relationship with him of sorts. I'm sure this wasn't what Washington had in mind when he went to work that day.
Washington's in a bad situation, the Transit Authority has no confidence in him because of charges pending, but Transit Cop John Turturro has to deal with him, play the hand Travolta is dealing so to speak.
The biggest difference between this and the original Pelham was in the hijacker's character. Robert Shaw was one cool operator under pressure, the rest of his team less so, but he doesn't let anything rattle him. Even when he kills it's a matter of purely business.
Travolta is one loose cannon who flies off the handle with little discernible provocation. That's the main problem with this version. The plot goes well beyond this hijacking, in fact the key to the film is who Travolta is and what he did in his past. And someone that crazy would not be doing what he did before.
Nevertheless Travolta and Washington make an interesting pair of adversaries. And the action sequences are well done with the computer graphics not available for the first one.
Still I miss Walter Matthau and that never to be forgotten expression on his face as the first Pelham ended.