Escape from New York

Escape from New York

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Movie Reviews of Escape from New York

Movie Review: Carpenter's seminal science fiction effort
Summary: 5 Stars

Nearly anyone who likes these types of movies ought to know the plot line of this one by now. The president of the United States, played by a surprisingly low key Donald Pleasence, is on his way to an important conference that may ease tensions between our country and the Soviet Union. Our leader needs peace because the United States suffers from a host of internal problems, the least of which is the need for a prison the size of New York. A terrorist group hijacks the president's plane and crashes it into the middle of New York, but not before the leader of the free world manages to eject in an escape pod. The authorities are at a loss about what they should do to retrieve the chief executive until they learn that the legendary Snake Plissken (Russell, of course) is in the process of being admitted to the prison. Snake, a sneering, laconic individual who has a problem with authority figures at first rebuffs the attempts of the prison administration to save the president. He changes his tune when he learns that the authorities are willing to kill him if he refuses. Moreover, the placing of small explosive charges in Snake's neck insures that he will make a serious effort to finish the mission or die in the attempt. Our hero has twenty-four hours to get in, find the president, and get him out before his the charges explode.

Plissken flies into the prison on a glider, lands on top of one of the World Trade Center towers, and begins to explore the blasted landscapes of urban New York City. What follows is a madcap race against the clock to rescue the president. Along the way, Snake meets a polka loving cabbie (Borgnine), an old colleague who double-crossed him named Brain (Stanton), Brain's sexy moll (Barbeau), and an ominous figure called "The Duke of New York" (Hayes). Predictably, the Duke has the president and plans to use this advantage to escape from prison. Plissken has other ideas, and as the bullets fly and the bodies fall, he gets closer and closer to his objective. Twenty four hours elapse pretty darn fast when your life is on the line. I am not giving anything away when I tell you that Snake makes his deadline in the nick of time. The fun comes from watching how he does it. "Escape From New York" bristles with double crosses, over the top posturing, snappy dialogue, cool set pieces, and roller coaster pacing. Throw in a gladiatorial combat sequence between Snake and a hulking behemoth, complete with spike studded baseball bats and garbage can lid shields, and you just know you have a winner with this one.

"Escape From New York" would not have been nearly as much fun as it is without the excellent cast. Donald Pleasence, except for one memorable scene near the end, plays the president with restraint. Russell is both hilarious and sinister as the ambiguous hero Snake Plissken, a former soldier turned criminal (nearly everyone is a criminal in this futuristic United States) who only wants the authorities to leave him alone but finds himself pulled into the middle of another mess. Seeing Ernest Borgnine here may surprise some viewers, but this actor made many lower budget films at this point in his career. His turn as the boisterous cabbie who knows the streets of New York like the back of his hand is enjoyable to watch. Barbeau, who also appeared in Carpenter's "The Fog," adds her own unique gifts to the picture. Carpenter pulls great performances out of his cast, making "Escape From New York" more of an ensemble picture than merely a vehicle for then rising star Kurt Russell.

This disc belongs on the shelf of every science fiction fan. The DVD version I watched unfortunately did not have much in the way of extras, something this film desperately needs. Thankfully, a special edition release containing commentaries, deleted scenes, documentaries, and a few other goodies is on the way soon. If this new release is similar to the one they did for "The Fog," I think we will be in for a real treat. "Escape From New York" may not be as well known as Carpenter's early horror efforts, but it is a must see none the less.

Summary of Escape from New York