"Subway Thriller Stays On-Track"
by Scott Mantz

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3"
Denzel Washington, John Travolta
Directed by Tony Scott

The Great Train Robbery! Denzel Washington saves the day in "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3"

"The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" -- a minor classic from 1974 that starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw -- may not have been exactly screaming for a remake.  But the one bestowed upon summertime moviegoers by high-concept director Tony Scott -- who truncated the title to "1 2 3" -- stays on track as an entertaining-enough suspense thriller featuring fine performances by Denzel Washington, John Travolta and James Gandolfini.

Washington plays Walter Garber, the subway dispatcher played by Matthau in the original film.  Travolta takes over as Ryder, the train hijacker originally played by Shaw.  The basic premise is the same as the '74 version (which itself was based on the novel by John Godley): Ryder is holding subway passengers hostage in exchange for $10 million (up from $1 million in the original film).  Garber finds himself in the unenviable position as hostage negotiator -- a job he better learn how to do fast, or one hostage will be terminated for every minute past Ryder's one-hour deadline.

If the 1974 film (directed by Joseph Sargent) can be better appreciated now for its gritty depiction of New York City, the update is pure Tony Scott, complete with his signature bells and whistles (a blaring music soundtrack, hyper-kinetic editing and washed-out colors).  While some of that works well enough to keep the otherwise talky thriller moving along at an engaging pace, Scott overdoes it at times with map animation and freeze-framed countdown images that are more humorous than they were likely intended to be (just like they were when Scott employed the same effects in 2001's "Spy Game").

And where the original version was somewhat controversial by depicting city politicians as raging opportunists, the remake aims to be nothing more than an entertaining thriller.  And for the most part it is, save for some contrived dialogue, an ineffective subplot regarding Washington's character and a weak payoff.

But Washington -- working with Scott for the fourth time after "Crimson Tide," "Man on Fire" and "Deja Vu" – is riveting as an everyman thrust into unusual circumstances, while John Travolta seems to relish playing one of his best bad-guy roles since "Face/Off" and "Broken Arrow."  James Gandolfini is also effective as the New York mayor who's rocked by a personal scandal, but Luis Guzman is underutilized as Travolta's partner-in-crime.

Like most of Tony Scott's slick Hollywood productions -- the best of which include 1986's "Top Gun,” 1995's "Crimson Tide" and 1998’s “Enemy of the State” -- and like a real subway ride itself, "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" is more entertaining the less you think about it.  And if you think about it, what more can anyone ask from a summertime thriller?

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