The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

The fourth (and least effective) collaboration between Denzel Washington and Tony Scott, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 follows a gang of ruthless terrorists (led by John Travolta’s Ryder) as they hijack a New York City subway train and hold the various passengers for ransom – with beleaguered dispatcher Walter Garber (Washington) inevitably establishing himself as the only man on the outside with whom Ryder will communicate. Though scripter Brian Helgeland retains many of the beats and plot twists from John Godey’s engrossing novel, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is ultimately unable to match its 1974 cinematic predecessor in terms of thrills and excitement – as the pronounced emphasis on Ryder and Garber’s ongoing radio conversations results in a lack of momentum that persists for much of the movie’s overlong running time. This is despite expectedly superb work from Washington; the actor, cast as the film’s surprisingly non-heroic protagonist, does a nice job of transforming his schlub of a character into a figure the viewer can’t help but root for, while the eclectic supporting cast – which includes John Turturro, James Gandolfini, and Luis Guzman – adds a fair amount of color to the proceedings (Travolta, on the other hand, offers up an increasingly over-the-top performance that becomes awfully tough to take). Scott’s relatively toned-down directorial choices – his head-scratching obsession with choppy slow motion notwithstanding – ensure that The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 generally holds the viewer’s interest from start to finish, yet – given the caliber of the filmmaker’s previous partnerships with Washington – it’s difficult not to feel just a tinge of disappointment at the final product’s less-than-enthralling nature.

**1/2 out of ****