Movie Review Rewind: The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

Brandon Vick flips the calendar back to 2009 for a look at Denzel Washington and John Travolta in The Taking of Pelham 123.

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The Taking of Pelham 123 is a fun summer thriller. I mean you can’t go wrong with Denzel Washington and John Travolta, can you? Okay – maybe there is a possibility, but they deliver in this. They are talented actors who bring a lot to their respective characters.

Quickly, let’s go over the story. It won’t take long because it’s fairly simple. Ryder (Travolta) and his gang take over a subway train, and of course, he comes into contact with the subway dispatcher, Walter Garber (Washington). Ryder wants 10 million dollars and New York City has one hour to get it. For every minute they are late, a hostage is killed. That simple.

What makes this movie is the conversations and eventually the meeting of Travolta and Washington’s characters. Ryder is a man with a grudge against the city of New York, but Garber has a grudge as well. It’s interesting how similar these men are when you find out about their pasts.

Washington tones down his role in this and seems calm throughout. But Travolta is a different story. He really plays up his character. I think he really enjoys playing the bad guy role in movies. He was okay in The Punisher, but really shines in Swordfish. And besides a few comments about making Denzel’s character his bitch, Ryder is a cool bad guy. He gets mad and violent, but also has a sense of humor. What more could you ask for?

Director Tony Scott has a gift for taking a story and putting his touch on it. And if you watch Domino or Man On Fire, you’ll know what I’m talking about. He knows how to deliver the thrills and action. He surrounds himself with great people and great actors. I’m pretty sure that’s a recipe for success. Well, most of the time.

The Taking of Pelham 123 is fun. The chemistry between Travolta and Washington is fun to watch. It has action, excitement, and humor. It’s a thriller with an easy story and two great actors leading the way. It’s a summer movie that has everything.

Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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