Indeed, I've enjoyed seeing this remake. I was able to catch the 1974 original again recently. Sure, I do appreciate the remake's presentation of a NY, its characters and dialogue that are more credible to contemporary times and culture, and yet, without losing the themes and plot of John Godey's novel.
How three decades have not only changed the atmosphere of the City of New York, but also its demographic composition. Yep, a diversity of cultures and a city with lots of young people traveling on the subway and on the streets. Oh yes, I do welcome Tony Scott's more earnest reflections of this city – not the dark, gritty, ugly, and the somewhat creepy "Gotham City", offered by Joseph Sargent. Yep, Sargent's NY is ugly with stereotypes, his characters are oft times quirky, and the dialogue reeks with racial slurs.
The events and characters of the remake are far less predictable, subjecting the viewers to to take a hard look at the gray areas between the good guy and the villain. The story is no longer the same, old tale that defines good vs. evil as either black or white. We are given two principle characters that are as different as day and night, and yet these are two men have to deal with their unpleasant pasts. Two men with earrings, each wearing it on either his right or left ear! Two men with a desperate need to outwit each other, yet never failing in their attempts for soul searching. The passengers on the train, too, succeed in commanding our attention as they face their fate.
Denzel Washington's Garber, not a cop, but a subway dispatcher and very much our regular Joe (unlike the very predictable, grouchy, caustic and cynical Garber cop portrayed by Walter Matthau), and. John Travolta's mastermind Ryder (projecting more intrigue and mystery than the downright brutal and evil Ryder of Robert Shaw) are fascinating to study. Yep, I wasn't merely petrified with what Ryder would do, but was completely taken by the two men's dialogue that slowly opens up their hidden past. Indeed, the two actors' performances are absolutely awesome!
Director Scott certainly does understand contemporary human behaviors when terror strikes at the heart of this city! Yep, his remake offers a NY with contemporary realities... haste, speed, and fast-paced responses, actions, and chaos. Fascinating scenes of Manhattan and Brooklyn come alive, vibrantly busy, excitingly modern and full of energy. We observe a cosmopolitan NY with bridges and streets, jam-packed with traffic. Indeed, a tech-savvy city with savvy internet-based communication devices that speaks of our modern way of life!
Scott also brings a darker side to all his characters, seen as unsettling as the danger that lurks. Scott is not shy of using the profanity and insanity, familiar to our times, to rock us to unease as frustrated characters lose their mental bearings and temperaments.
Yep, most of the characters seem to have adrenaline-driven temperaments that seem to be spilling into madness. Oh yes, Scott's film brings all the thrills, chills, suspense, and loudness to sustain the viewers attention, creating a sense of non-stop urgency for them, from beginning to end. This film succeeds in making Sargent's original film's portrayal of sloppy attitudes, the OCD with cleanliness and mess, and bullying seem so far fetched, so out of trend, and so lame. Besides, there are plenty of neat and uncompromising surprises, new characters, and a cool twist, and a new ending to keep me entertained.
My rating: 7.5/10
How three decades have not only changed the atmosphere of the City of New York, but also its demographic composition. Yep, a diversity of cultures and a city with lots of young people traveling on the subway and on the streets. Oh yes, I do welcome Tony Scott's more earnest reflections of this city – not the dark, gritty, ugly, and the somewhat creepy "Gotham City", offered by Joseph Sargent. Yep, Sargent's NY is ugly with stereotypes, his characters are oft times quirky, and the dialogue reeks with racial slurs.
The events and characters of the remake are far less predictable, subjecting the viewers to to take a hard look at the gray areas between the good guy and the villain. The story is no longer the same, old tale that defines good vs. evil as either black or white. We are given two principle characters that are as different as day and night, and yet these are two men have to deal with their unpleasant pasts. Two men with earrings, each wearing it on either his right or left ear! Two men with a desperate need to outwit each other, yet never failing in their attempts for soul searching. The passengers on the train, too, succeed in commanding our attention as they face their fate.
Denzel Washington's Garber, not a cop, but a subway dispatcher and very much our regular Joe (unlike the very predictable, grouchy, caustic and cynical Garber cop portrayed by Walter Matthau), and. John Travolta's mastermind Ryder (projecting more intrigue and mystery than the downright brutal and evil Ryder of Robert Shaw) are fascinating to study. Yep, I wasn't merely petrified with what Ryder would do, but was completely taken by the two men's dialogue that slowly opens up their hidden past. Indeed, the two actors' performances are absolutely awesome!
Director Scott certainly does understand contemporary human behaviors when terror strikes at the heart of this city! Yep, his remake offers a NY with contemporary realities... haste, speed, and fast-paced responses, actions, and chaos. Fascinating scenes of Manhattan and Brooklyn come alive, vibrantly busy, excitingly modern and full of energy. We observe a cosmopolitan NY with bridges and streets, jam-packed with traffic. Indeed, a tech-savvy city with savvy internet-based communication devices that speaks of our modern way of life!
Scott also brings a darker side to all his characters, seen as unsettling as the danger that lurks. Scott is not shy of using the profanity and insanity, familiar to our times, to rock us to unease as frustrated characters lose their mental bearings and temperaments.
Yep, most of the characters seem to have adrenaline-driven temperaments that seem to be spilling into madness. Oh yes, Scott's film brings all the thrills, chills, suspense, and loudness to sustain the viewers attention, creating a sense of non-stop urgency for them, from beginning to end. This film succeeds in making Sargent's original film's portrayal of sloppy attitudes, the OCD with cleanliness and mess, and bullying seem so far fetched, so out of trend, and so lame. Besides, there are plenty of neat and uncompromising surprises, new characters, and a cool twist, and a new ending to keep me entertained.
My rating: 7.5/10