Just because a film is a remake – or perhaps a movie based on a book that was already made into a movie – doesn't mean the film is destined to fail. To be less cryptic, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009), directed by Tony Scott may not be a brilliant film (or terribly original), but it is a pretty exciting way to spend two hours.
Featuring a star-packed cast led by Denzel Washington and John Travolta, the film follows the hijacking of a New York City 6 train, the Pelham 1 2 3. It is one of those films where the bad guys, in this case led by the enigmatic Ryder (John Travolta), have everything planned to the last detail, every eventuality worked out. That is, they have every eventuality worked out except for there being someone with a little too much knowledge, too much intelligence, and too much guts working the other side of the hostage negotiation.
In this case, that's Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), a former muckety-muck for the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) who, under suspicion of bribery, has found himself demoted. Thus, he is the lucky man monitoring the Lexington Ave. subway and therefore the Pelham 1 2 3. Garber, for some reason, strikes the fancy of Ryder and even when the real police, led by Camonetti (John Turturro) show up, Garber gets to stick around.
Also appearing in supporting roles are James Gandolfini, as the mayor (a Bloomberg-type) and Luis Guzman as Phil Ramos, one of Ryder's crew. While both characters have some serious moments, they also serve, to some extent, as comic relief. They also, along with Turturro's Camonetti, help take some of the burden off Washington and Travolta.
That said, the conversations between Ryder and Garber are where the film works best. The relationship, odd though it may be, is, if not believable, enjoyable to watch develop. Early on, the Ryder proves himself capable of doing whatever it takes to get his money and smart enough to always be one step ahead of the cops. Garber is just the poor guy who is in the wrong place at the wrong time, John McClane, but without the police skills.
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