The Taking of Pelham 123

Play trailer

2:26

The Taking of Pelham 123

R

2009

1h 46m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

225 Reviews

52%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Chaos reigns in the New York City subway system when heavily armed criminals, led by a mastermind named Ryder (John Travolta), hijack a subway train and threaten to kill everyone on board unless a large ransom is paid. Dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) uses his extensive knowledge of the transit system in a bid to outwit the hijackers and save the hostages, but one question remains: even if the hijackers get their money, how can they possibly escape?

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Critics Consensus

Despite a strong cast, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 suffers under the excesses of Tony Scott's frantic direction, and fails to measure up to the 1974 original.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/30/2018

This is pointless, redundant, irrelevant film remaking, in which nothing of weight is ever at stake, and no relationships are ever formed.

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

01/17/2018

The original film was far superior and will be remembered in years to come while the current remake will soon be forgotten.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/12/2017

B+

Overall a good movie, good performances, got your adrenaline going.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/04/2023

1.5/4

Gone are the days when a thriller about hijackers and the negotiator-hero who stops them feels fresh or necessary. At least, that’s how I felt after The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/25/2022

2.5/5

The sub-par material is too much to overcome. I especially hate to see such a strong Denzel performance go to waste, but in reality there just isn’t enough here to make this anything more than an average movie.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/29/2020

6/10

Not quite as slick as the original, this latest take on the subway heist story still accomplishes entertainment at breakneck speed.

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Circus E.

@COS.ENT85 Apr 6

7/10 a normal worse remake

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Joaquin U

@Joaquin1 Feb 22

I watched this, not knowing it was a remake. It's a decent popcorn movie. Good cast. The ending is a bit disappointing. Just an entertaining, middle-of-the-pack action flick.

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Krys L

@Kl005 Jan 5

The opening sound between the constant guitar riff and train noise was so grating, I jumped up to turn it off after it didn’t stop for several minutes. The mixing and editing was horrible. I’ve never had this experience in a movie.

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Kelly N

@RT11829278 Sep 15

I rewatched this with The Misses since she hadn't seen it before. Good story, great action. John Travolta was too over the top but still enjoyable

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Ed .

@RT01276001 Aug 22

Credible remake to consider watching AFTER viewing the original masterpiece.

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Frans B

@FransB Aug 21

Loved it and Tony Scott's "erratic" directing 😜 Great storyline, very well written. Very good cinematography and visually appealing. Fast paced short takes which elevates the situation effectively. Travolta brings the swagger, sass and "devil may care" attitude. Denzel Washington in one of his outstanding performances. Whole cast convincing in character. Lots of action, grit, emotion, intrigue, suspense and drama. Enough twists and dilemma. Makes for exciting viewing

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Tony Scott

Director

Denzel Washington

Walter Garber

John Travolta

Ryder

John Turturro

Camonetti

Luis Guzmán

Phil Ramos

James Gandolfini

Mayor

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Accidental Police Assault

2:41

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Commandeering the Train

2:39

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Ten Million Dollars and One Cent

3:42

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Shoot Me!

3:05

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Police Shootout

1:37

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - The Money Car Crash

3:04

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Dog Poop Story

3:11

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Put Garber on

1:40

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Did You Take the Bribe?

2:50

The Taking of Pelham 123: Official Clip - Runaway Train

1:39

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Synopsis

Chaos reigns in the New York City subway system when heavily armed criminals, led by a mastermind named Ryder (John Travolta), hijack a subway train and threaten to kill everyone on board unless a large ransom is paid. Dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) uses his extensive knowledge of the transit system in a bid to outwit the hijackers and save the hostages, but one question remains: even if the hijackers get their money, how can they possibly escape?

Director: Tony Scott
Producer: Todd Black, Tony Scott, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch
Screenwriter: Brian Helgeland
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Escape Artists, Scott Free Productions
Rating: R (Violence|Pervasive Language)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 12, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $65.5M
Runtime: 1h 46m