The Taking of Pelham 123

"Did it hit you?" - Denzel Washington
"Shit always hits you, man," - John Travolta
(The Taking of Pelham 123)

This quote left a profound impact on me during the film, and I dug out my phone from the messy dark depths of my bag to type it down.

Life is indeed full of shit, but The Taking of Pelham 123 was a striking film.

Not really an analogy.

Compared to the trailer which was vague and unexplained, the movie was well-executed, and filmed with a blurred edge to give a sense of movement and lapses in time.

Based on a book, The Taking of Pelham 123 starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, two men past their prime, is also the third version filmed. The first was in 1974, and the second in 1998.

Check out the oldest and current posters:




I don't know about the previous movies, but despite his acting skills, Travolta portrayed his 'hijacker leader' character as a nutcase, and didn't come across to me as an ex 'high-roller'.

There was also a dragged out moment by Washington which could have been shortened, for it somehow made the movie sleepy and boring - a cut when he keeps prolonging his chat with his irritating wife on the phone.

Otherwise, the story was twisted somehow to reflect the ongoing situations in the economy and how Wall Street could actually play with the market.

An interesting film overall (: People, do catch this movie.