Man On Train Tracks

So, Tony Scott back again. The man who gave us the magnificent True Romance and the surprisingly wonderful Man on Fire remake is remaking another cult classic with The Taking Of Pelham 123, starring his favourite actor, and who wouldn't want him in their film, Denzel Washington, as a rail controller, the voice on the other end of the line as Travolta's eccentric hostage taker as he works out a plan to make $10 million in one hour. Add John Turturro as a hostage negotiator who helps Denzel and James Gandolfini as the mayor.

So, it's all you expect, tense dialogue, people being shot and shouting "Where's the money Lebowski?" swishy camera work, fast editing, saturated images, slo-mo and fast motion mixed together, the Scott Standard.

The opening credits are a testament to him, lots of classic styles mixed with showy offy text work and dialogue.

And that's kinda the film's big weakness, the dialogue is dull and just has lots of f-words because they can't think of something good to say, I never cared for Denzel and never feared his life would be in danger at all, Travolta was never a savage man, just a slightly odd character with a gun and friends, and it's a shame because the actors work really well, the film looks and sounds amazing, but the script is flat and lifeless.

I guess it's good that everything else works then, because considering it's high score the script just makes you question why they let it go into production without another re-write, stupid Writer's Strike.

It's not the Tony Scott film you've waited for since Man On Fire, but it's got the same components and it'll do for now.
7/10