...would probably have been even better if the two stars had switched roles...
1 Comment
06/12/09
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)
51
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:203
Fresh:104
Rotten:99
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
121 - 140 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, is how its predecessor would have turned out had Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor gotten his hands on it and injected it with "more power." (Grunt it with me, Ah-ah-ahh)
06/12/09
'A remake and a hostage picture! Can both the good guys and the bad guys use Sony laptops?' Yes, they can.
06/12/09
Like most of Scott's recent films, this one ends in self-indulgent silliness. You end up asking yourself, how do the few fun bits of the film manage to survive in the midst of so much lousy filmmaking?
06/12/09
Top CriticOverly stylized and not-so-thrilling train ride is ultimately merely average at best and will disappoint fans looking for anything more.
06/12/09
I'm giving it a mild recommendation for its good stretches and appealing characters.
06/12/09
Remake of '70s thriller is riveting but violent and intense.
06/12/09
There's plenty of action, but little to get excited about.
06/12/09
Travolta may steal the subway car, but it is Washington who steals the movie.
06/12/09
It's one helluva thrill ride--more NYC than Six Flags!
06/12/09
If it never feels quite as clever as it thinks it is, so what? It's going to look like freaking Antonioni when Transformers lands in a couple of weeks.
06/12/09
At best, Tony Scott has directed a mediocre thriller that delivers some decent action sequences.
06/12/09
The laughable climax is punctuated with a military-style salute from a police hostage negotiater that is so silly it causes one to wonder whether 'Pelham' is supposed to be a dry-as-sand comedy -- a 'Beat the Devil' for the 'Transformers' era.
06/12/09
The middle is cliché and the ending somewhat predictable, but the capable lead cast make it somewhat enjoyable.
06/12/09
Sometimes it's refreshing to see a movie that is okay with just being okay. With The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, you get a C-student shoe salesman that rarely dazzles but doesn't disappoint.
06/12/09
Parental Content Review
06/12/09
Instead of Helgeland pumping energy into the story, it's the external elements that benefit from a modern sensibility, leaving the plot and dialogue to languish on a gummy subway car floor.
06/12/09
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is the ultimate exercise in redundancy, a bullying, almost completely artless film, a superfluous venture in every possible way.
06/12/09
The old-school The Taking of Pelham One Two Three takes you by the throat; this new one, well-made as it is, just takes you for granted.
06/12/09
A solidly crafted suspense thriller set on a subway train proves the perfect vehicle for two stars at the top of their game.
06/11/09
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. 
More...
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