The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is a remake of a remake of a film from a well-known book. Nothing new expected going in. And that's OK. Cause, forget the plot mechanics of a NYC subway car commanded by bad guys looking for $$$. This film exists for one reason -- so director Tony Scott can pit John Travolta (cat on the ceiling villain) against Denzel Washington (cool under fire Every Man) against each other, first over radios, then face-to-face. And this trick pays off. "Pelham" skates around the clichés that doom most action pics -- the blowhard cops, the pretentious reporter, the politico out for himself, and other useless crap filler. Most, not all. We’re still talking chasing cabs by foot, crashes, conspiracies and guns blazing. Scott again directs with a roving camera hooked to a jack hammer, and spends way too long cutting from the main drama to the over-excited delivery of the loot, but the real bang for my Netflix fee came from the Travolta-Washington rat-a-tat-tat banter. B