The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

R16

2009

121 mins

Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an... More

Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. A mustachioed John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train’s passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?

Tony Scott (Top Gun, Enemy of the State) directs this remake of the Walter Matthau-starring 1974 thriller.

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Where to watch The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) is available to stream... More in New Zealand now on YouTube and Apple TV Store and Neon Rentals.

There is no screening information for this title.

The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) | Ratings & Reviews

51_%229 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes® rating
52_%662,840 reviews
Audience score rating

"More than anything a fascinating portrait of how much New York has changed in 35 years, the film delivers the goods in excitement and big-star charisma."

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Variety

"For a good hour, Scott delivers a tense cat-and-mouser. Goes off track when Denzel turns action hero, but his riffing with a sinister Trav is what propels this Pelham."

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Total Film

"Even at a distance from each other (Washington/Travolta), they conduct a tag-team master class in old-style movie star technique, barreling through every cliché and nugget of corn the script has to offer with verve and conviction. Even when you don't really believe them, they're always a lot of fun to watch."

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The New York Times

"It's a first-class ride. All aboard."

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Rolling Stone

"There's not much wrong with Tony Scott's The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, except that there's not much really right about it."

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Roger Ebert

"If you can abide cringe-worthy scripts, over-the-top stunts, and "what a guy" posturing, then The Taking of Pelham 123 is probably not a bad way to disengage the brain."

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Otago Daily Times

"Big, loud, dumb and furiously entertaining."

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New Zealand Herald

"So professionally done you rarely have the luxury of taking your eyes off the screen."

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Los Angeles Times

"Curiously, despite the ever-energetic Tony Scott at the throttle, the sleek new edition isn't as transporting as it should have been."

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Hollywood Reporter

"Pelham One was first class. Pelham Two stuck to the schedule. Pelham Three needs a bus pass."

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Empire Magazine

"Pelham 123 loses all credibility in the last 20 minutes, and a twist I was waiting for never arrived, but the film is still an enjoyable waste of a few hours of your life."

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