Ex-con Ryder and his men after hijacking a train put up a $10 million ransom. It would have been a simple case of robbery but when Ryder talks to metro rail dispatcher Walter Garber’s (Washington), an intense hostage drama begins.
Ryder is shrewd and yet found his weakness in Walter, a poorly paid civil servant, who has been demoted to the dispatch desk after being charged for taking bribes. Walter is drawn into Ryder’s gameplan and the incident provides him a perfect chance to redeem himself but will he take it?
Efficiently structured with a gripping script ‘The Taking of Pelham’ is very realistic.
Promoted as a showdown between Metro rail dispatcher Walter Garber’s (Washington) and an ex-con Ryder (Travolta) ‘The Taking of Pelham 123’ runs at an average speed and passes the average destination mainly because of the versatile actors.
Travolta’s tattoos and menacing remarks are rude to the core. John Turturro’s character as a hostage negotiator is free of stereotypes. Though he is not wanted by Ryder the script gives him a solid chair.
If the camera movements were a little more out of the box we would have a classic drama. Nonetheless, it’s glitzy and entertaining.
