Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

John Travolta plays Ryder, a man with a plan to take over a New York City subway car. When his plan goes into action, he gets in touch with MTA headquarters, specifically a subway dispatcher named Walter Garber (director Tony Scott fave Denzel Washington). The two develop a rapport and, as these things tend to go, Ryder insists on only talking with Garber. As it turns out, no one is exactly who they appear to be. Garber, for instance, isn’t a regular on the MTA phone lines. While he says he doesn’t believe in coincidences, it is interesting that on this day, when he’s in a place he’s not used to being, he gets a call from “terrorists” who’ve taken over a subway train. Travolta is fantastic as the criminal mastermind. His character is dynamic, unpredictable at times, and just plain fun to watch. Washington, on the other hand, delivers a strong yet low-key performance. The interplay between the two is one of the film’s strong points. Feather River Cinemas, Paradise Cinema 7 and Tinseltown. Rated R