We are well into the 2009 movie season. How have we fared thus far? I’d say we’re batting around .500. There have been some great moments like “Star Trek” as well as some less than exciting moments such as “Wolverine” or the pain and misery that was “Land of the Lost.” The month of June’s flicks have traditionally been sandwiched between the Memorial Day releases and the Fourth of July blockbuster films. It is here, in that forgotten overlooked land, that sometimes one finds the rare, memorable gem of classic cinema.
John Travolta and Denzel Washington star in “The Taking of Pelham 123,” a suspenseful caper film that had all the signs of being a solid endeavor based on trailers. It boasted two top-notch stars, an R rating, a solid director and an original film that was a solid yet largely forgotten piece itself. 1974’s “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. Despite some very interesting casting for this gritty ’70s crime drama, it was a solid movie. I hoped I could say the same regarding the remake.
Travolta stars as Ryder. Ryder is the leadership behind the taking of the subway car Pelham 123. He and three associates commandeer the vehicle and request $10 million in exchange for the passengers aboard. They prove early on that this is no game and that they are hardcore.
From start to finish, Travolta plays the hell out of Ryder. He transcends the average big-screen sociopath and delves into a somewhat darker, damaged place. One can only assume the tragedy involving his son Jett helped Travolta reach the depths he expressed via this character, and I hope he found it therapeutic in at least some small way. His performance was in a word awesome. He created a no-nonsense, vicious yet darkly human character that is among the finest he has every portrayed. You’ve come a long way, Vinnie Barbarino.
Then there is that other fellow, what’s his name? Oh yes, Denzel. It gets old saying Denzel Washington is amazing, but it is always a statement of fact. Once again, he delivers the goods as troubled transit authority employee Walter Garber. Garber is thrust into the middle of the entire affair by chance. As the supervisor for that section of track, he makes the initial call to the train. This leads to a game of cat-and-mouse between Travolta and Washington that is a true joy to behold. Neither man gives an inch as they suck the audience into their conversation utilizing nothing more than the brilliance of their performances. Washington’s character has a weighted past of his own that brings an intriguing layer to his character. This is not your Denzel the hero; this is Denzel the conflicted everyman — if your conflicted everyman looked like Denzel Washington, which, sadly ladies, we all know is very untrue.
A superb supporting cast featuring Luis Guzman, the chameleon that is John Turturro and James Gandolfini perform impeccably. The original story was tweaked marginally to put a more sophisticated twist on the effort, and there was some tremendous camerawork during helicopter and racing across town sequences. Some poorly edited cutesy moments attempted to raise sociological debates regarding race and politics, and there was a jab or two at current New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and ex-mayor Rudy Guiliani. But perhaps the only real chink in the armor of the film was its ending. While I would never delve into it at risk of spoiling your movie-going experience, I will say that I found it to be a bit trite and too inexplicably neat. However, the performances of the leads overshadowed every aspect of the film and would have made it a winner were it directed by a cabbage.
At film’s end, I was ecstatic. Yes, I loved the film, and I recommend it highly. It had everything needed for a complete theatrical getaway, and I did just that. In this the time of summer getaways, I walked into the local theater and was swept up into a whole other world where I reveled in that escape. And sometimes, friends, that is the best vacation.
Rating: W W W W
