Comments on: Review: THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3

By: popculturenerd

popculturenerd — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:42:25 +0000

EireGo, This summer, I'm most looking forward to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Public Enemies and The Time Traveler's Wife (I've seen a cut of it). I'm also interested in Julie & Julia. Looking ahead to the fall and holiday season, I'm most eager for Avatar, Nine, Shutter Island and Sherlock Holmes.

By: EIREGO

EIREGO — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:39:03 +0000

Thanks for the review. I was going to go, but will now wait for the DVD. Can’t seem to trust any of the mainstream sources these days. Won’t name names, but some publications I used to rely on owe me movie ticket reimbursement.

BTW: Do you and Eric have a list of movies you are both looking forward to? I’d like to see that list.

By: BIZMAN5

BIZMAN5 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:11:46 +0000

I agree with PCN. Ya gotta have a bad guy who is bad for a reason not just because the hero needs a foil.

Saw the original on DVD with Robert Shaw. Kinda don’t want to see this one. Shaw was really intense.

By: popculturenerd

popculturenerd — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:50:30 +0000

I remember that '98 TV movie, le0pard13, but I'm trying not to! When I was watching this latest version last night, I actually thought, "It should've stayed a TV remake. Or not been remade at all." I saw no compelling reason why all that money had to be spent. Those two stars don't come cheap. Up is the best movie I've seen so far this year. Wish all movies could be that wonderful.

By: le0pard13

le0pard13 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:29:56 +0000

Fun movie review, PCN! I quite agree with you re: the hero needing a quality foil (and vice versa). The pairing, and their performances, has to work toward that good outcome movies strive for. The pairing of Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw (in the 1974 original) worked so well–and no one had to chew any of the scenery in their performances to get there. That, and the combination of a good original story.

But, this one’s another remake–the second one actually. Seems no one remembers (or recalls it with any fondness) the ’98 TV movie with Edward James Olmos and Vincent D’Onofrio. Oh, well. But, at least we have Up!

By: popculturenerd

popculturenerd — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:27:23 +0000

That’s awfully kind of you, READER#9. Now that you’ve read Eric’s and my opinions, I’d love to hear yours after you see it.

By: popculturenerd

popculturenerd — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:07:09 +0000

Eddy, that is an excellent idea. If Denzel and Travolta had swapped roles, it would have been a much more interesting movie. Denzel did very good work here as the everyman but he would've torn it up as the bad guy. Likewise, I think Travolta would've found more traction as Garber.

By: popculturenerd

popculturenerd — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:00:40 +0000

Thanks, Shelley P. It’s funny because Eric and I were kinda arguing about it when I stopped mid-sentence and said,”Wait, we should write it up like this!”

By: Reader#9

Reader#9 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:58:52 +0000

THANK YOU, EDDY!!

I could not agree with you more about Swordfish and Travolta. It’s also the last time Hugh Jackman was really great without relying on knives coming out of his knuckles.

Having Denzel and Travolta switch roles would have been a great idea. You should work for a studio! That’s the kind of thinking they need.

I’ll still probably check out the latest version of Pelham though.

Thanks for giving us a review before it opens, PCN! More importantly, for giving us one we can trust.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:37:29 +0000

I still say, as talented as John Travolta is, he doesn’t make a good bad guy. Well, maybe in Swordfish, a little. It didn’t work for me in Broken Arrow or Face/Off. His “criminal” characters in Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty/Be Cool weren’t really bad guys, so those worked. Battlefield Earth was so ridiculous that it doesn’t even bear mentioning. There may be other movies with him in the bad guy role, but if so, I haven’t seen them.

From what I’ve seen and read about Pelham 123, he should have swapped roles with Denzel. Now that might have made for a good movie.

I understand that actors like to broaden their range and that playing bad guys can be fun, but please, not at our expense.