Scott gets into the zip and rush of urban energy with an enthusiasm bordering on hilarity.
80
VarietyTodd McCarthy
VarietyTodd McCarthy
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.
80
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
A fast and relentless hostage thriller that never stops.
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
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.
60
The Hollywood ReporterMichael Rechtshaffen
The Hollywood ReporterMichael Rechtshaffen
Curiously, despite the ever-energetic Tony Scott at the throttle, the sleek new edition isn't as transporting as it should have been.
Watching this Pelham--a money job from its conception--you can believe that there's no other motivation on Earth.
50
Village Voice
Village Voice
Scott's redo comes up short in almost every regard against the '74 model--against David Shire's knuckled-brass score, against its mugs' gallery of '70s New York character actors, against Peter Stone's serrated script, and certainly against its wordless punchline.