THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123

Directed by Tony Scott

in theatres

****

This excellent re-make of the 1974 thriller does something different than the standard remake, choosing to re-think and totally update the concept of that film, which starred hang-dog Walter Matthau and English actor Robert Shaw, one year before his role as Quint in Jaws (1975). The original was made at a time when good films made money, when New York was not in the grip of fear over another terrorist attack, something the makers of this new film use in their plot.

Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) was on his way up in the transit system business, but a terrible and foolish mistake has seen him busted down to a rather boring desk job as a dispatcher for the subway system. One of the trains is taken with hostages by a mysterious man named Ryder (John Travolta), who sees himself as an avenger of the ordinary people. They speak for the bulk of the film through a squawk box, with Garber trying to solve the issues and give Ryder what he wants without incident and killing. Ryder is enjoying the whole thing, and when he finally finds out about Garber, he understands that both of them are damaged goods.

Washington is always at his best playing a character damaged by life, and has earned a reputation as one of American cinema's best and most resourceful actors. He brings a wounded nobility to just about any character he plays and made it clear long ago he is incapable of doing fluff.

Travolta has always been one of the finest actors in movies, who happened to make some very bad choices early in his career and was nearly ruined by them. People forget he was nominated for an Oscar for Saturday Night Fever (1977). Travolta has always excelled at playing a villain because it so against the personality of the man himself. Here he is having the time of his life as Ryder, a big bulky, very bad dude indeed.

Despite the fact the two actors do not share a great deal of screen time, they have a nice chemistry together. In strong support as the fussy mayor of New York is James Gandolfini, carefully choosing his roles now that The Sopranos has ceased to exist.

Tony Scott may lack the artistry of his older brother, Ridley, but the man can entertain. As far back as Top Gun (1986), he has been doing just that and this might be the most intelligent film he has made. One of the best thus far this year.

IMAGINE THAT

(BOMB)

There was a time when Eddie Murphy possessed a lethal wit and charm that drew audiences to him. Where has that man gone? His famous concert film, Delirious (1984), is now 20 years old and displays Murphy at his best with his vulgar and nasty humour. In recent years he has been making films for children which, though honourable, does not necessarily allow his strengths as an actor to be shown. True, he should have won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his brilliant performance in Dreamgirls (2006) and did win the National Society of Film Critics' Award for The Nutty Professor (1996). The man can act and has the inside track on two big-budget Hollywood biographical films, the Richard Pryor story and perhaps the Martin Luther King bio for Steven Spielberg.

Why, why, why does he insist on making these lame films that stifle his comic genius? If I have to sit through another such film, I may pack it in as a critic. You see, I see the films for free, but they can never return my time and I felt my time taken from me on this.

John Foote, director of the Toronto Film School, is a nationally known film historian/critic and a Port Perry resident. Get more reviews at www.footeonfilm.com. Contact him at jhfoote@xplornet.com.