Official Trailer (HD)

My Review

The Taking of Pelham 123 was an exhilarating thrill ride from beginning to end! From the intro sequence to the closing segments I felt both fulfilled and entertained. Denzel delivers an unparalleled performance which exceeds his similar portrayal in Spike Lee’s Inside Man. He succeeds in displaying the leadership of a negotiator, yet the uncertainty of a civil servant. However, Travolta can be equally appraised as he manages to reinvent himself and character from the cliché bad guy archetype.

The direction of this film, which could have easily been overlooked, from Tony Scott delivers 100 percent. However, no picture is ever perfect. In the shot choices, I found the shallow depth of field was a little overused at times. It seemed to stand out and overplay the dialogue. Regardless, I was impressed with the uniqueness of shots, especially with such a limit in locations, and I never felt the halting of suspense, even amidst the tense two-way conversations.