It would be impossible to make a completely dull film of Godey's story, but Scott has succeeded in reducing it to an empty, mechanical spectacle.
Comment
08/30/09
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)
52
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:201
Fresh:104
Rotten:97
Average Rating:5.4/10
Consensus: Despite a strong cast, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 suffers under the excesses of Tony Scott's frantic direction, and fails to measure up to the 1974 original.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Aug 27, 2009 Wide
US Box Office: $65,452,312
Synopsis: In The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway... [More]
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, Luis Guzman
Director: Tony Scott
Reviews for The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Top CriticIn yet another blander-than-bland remake of a classic film, flash-over-substance specialist Tony Scott takes Joseph Sargent's taut, 1974 action-thriller and processes it through the multiplex mulching machine.
08/27/09
Top CriticThere was a reality to [the original film] that I think is missing from this.
08/26/09
Top CriticIf you’ve never seen the original, the new Taking of Pelham 123 will probably come across as an okay thriller, but if you have seen the original it’s clear evidence as to why the movies aren’t as good as they used to be.
08/26/09
Top CriticMechanical and unspirited, this is just another goddam remake, as they might say in the Big Apple.
08/26/09
Top CriticWhen all is said and done, The Taking of Pelham 123 is a reliable, if unremarkable thriller that delivers what it must, and doesn’t waste a moment doing so.
08/26/09
Top CriticPelham would’ve been better served by a handful of Ritalin, or perhaps a director who wouldn’t dare sacrifice rollicking suspense to feed his meaningless camera fetishes. Stick with the 1974 version.
08/23/09
Top CriticUltimately, this is not a great train-robbery film -- but hey, in the whole scheme of things, it's not a bad one, either.
08/23/09
Top CriticMade with all the sinewy economy and storytelling clarity honed by making lots of high end TV commercials, Tony Scott pumps contempo energy and visual style into this classic good story
08/20/09
Top CriticIt is all about star power and screen charisma with Washington and Travolta making formidable adversaries, whether on screen together or at opposing ends of the microphone.
08/20/09
Top CriticIf the trademark Scott gloss serves as a superficial hook, his also-adept manner of building tension and suspense then keeps one interested.
08/31/09
Solid performances can't lift this picture above its own mediocrity, however. The plot is formulaic ... and the ending obvious.
08/30/09
If you're not feeling too cerebral Tony Scott's action movie set pieces are pretty good -- also silly sometimes -- but they're more than enough to fill in time between the lines of clichéd dialogue.
08/27/09
Top Critic"Bland, overweight, and overpaid actors enact their dumbshow against a backdrop of urban efficiency prettied up for consumer delight."
08/23/09
Stays on track as an entertaining-enough suspense thriller featuring fine performances by Denzel Washington, John Travolta and James Gandolfini.
08/21/09
[It's]a popcorn movie, nothing more and nothing less.
08/11/09
I won't lie and say The Taking of Pelham 123 is destined to be a classic, nor does it make a whole lot of sense, but it is goofy fun and does no damage to the original.
08/11/09
Unlike Sargent, who trusted his story to provide the fireworks, Scott resorts to gimmicks: choppy editing, speeded-up footage that segues inexplicably into slo-mo, and pointless explosions of noise. Sometimes, less really is more.
08/08/09
All sound and fury, devoid of any relevance or resonance.
08/04/09
Scott, a sensationalist who cut his teeth in advertising and still looks upon every minute of a feature film as a TV commercial, hits us from the opening shot with speeded-up film, rapid cutting, flash pans, and rap music.
08/04/09
Latest News for The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
August 27, 2009:
10 Hair-raising Moments With John Travolta
Travolta's brutal butch hair -- or lack thereof, handlebar moustache aside -- in this week's remake of The Taking of Pelham 123 got us nostalgic for ol' dimple chin's former... More...
June 19, 2009:
Submit to the RT Show and Earn a Cool $100
Time for the weekly update, folks. As always, thanks to everyone who has submitted reviews and helped contribute to the show. Every week, we continue to bring you a lively,... More...
June 15, 2009:
Watch RT on Current TV
This week, The Rotten Tomatoes Show will be looking at the movies that opened over the weekend, with help from you (the Rotten Tomatoes community), the Current TV community, and... More...
June 13, 2009:
Denzel and Travolta co-star in remake of classic hostage drama. 
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