The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 places two men in a confessional; albeit it's not the standard church closet space. These men are also anything but typical. They're two of the most respected and acclaimed actors in Hollywood—Denzel Washington and John Travolta. However, they manage to become two seemingly regular guys confessing their sins and lies over a public transportation dispatch line. That tense interaction is what makes Pelham such an intense drama.

The film kicks off with a bang. As Jay-Z's "99 Problems" blares, Travolta's Ryder and a few heavily armed henchman take Pelham 1 2 3 by storm. Ryder is menacing and malevolent, and he has no problem capping passengers to prove his point. Denzel is Walter Garber the dispatcher about to leave his shift that gets the call from Ryder. Ryder wants 10 million dollars in one hour, and he's going to kill a passenger per minute if he doesn't have the money by the time the hour is up.

Travolta is on fire. When he takes the train, he tells the conductor, "Life is simple now; you've just got to do what I say. Conduct those people!" He begins to probe into Garber's sins as they talk, and Denzel shows hesitation convincingly. The Academy Award winner is as intense as ever but in a different and fallible manner. He's human here, and Travolta is demonic. As the two square off in a chess match of conversation, the dialogue reaches David Mamet's heights of biblical allusion.

Then Tony Scott takes the reins with the action. There's a bombastic and brutal chase scene through New York as cops race with the money and each shaky still frame that Scott utilizes is unsettling, adding to the tension. This is a lesson in directing a fast, violent and punchy 21st century action thriller with some serious soul underneath all of the flames.

Supporting turns from Luis Guzman, James Gandolfini and John Turtoro heighten the intensity. Every facet of Pelham works to keep it on track as an impenetrable summer action flick. With the high-octane sequences, the movie is an off-the-rails action epic. However, Washington and Travolta square off an inventive and clever battle of wits, as a ticking clock increases the danger each and every minute. This is definitely one of the year's most substantive action flicks, don't miss it, even if you have to hop over a turnstile to get there!

—Rick Florino
06.12.09