THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (2009)
HEADLINE: ** Strongly Redemptive and Heroic, But Marred **
Title: THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (2009)
Quality: * * * * Acceptability: -2
SUBTITLES: None
WARNING CODES:
Language: LLL
Violence: VVV
Sex: None
Nudity: None
RATING: R
RELEASE: June 12, 2009
TIME: 104 minutes
STARRING: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Luis Guzman, and Michael Rispoli
DIRECTOR: Tony Scott
PRODUCERS: Todd Black, Tony Scott, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Barry Waldman, Michael Costigan and Ryan Kavanaugh
WRITER: Brian Helgeland
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: John Godey
DISTRIBUTOR: MGM and Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment
CONTENT: (CC, BBB, LLL, VVV, D, M) Strong Christian worldview with ultimately a very strong moral viewpoint, which include overt references to Catholicism, what God demands out of us and talking to God, with a common Christian man being very heroic and criminals are strongly rebuked; excessive amount of strong foul language (mostly said by bad guys) includes 115 mostly strong obscenities, nine strong profanities, three light profanities, a few obscene gestures, and boy hostage urinates out of subway car; strong action violence with some very strong pointblank shootings with some blood includes transit cop shot to death, subway conductor shot to death, hostage shot to death, robber accidentally shot through head, gun battle with police, and another man shot dead; no sex scenes but young man talks with girlfriend over Interview video and she seems to be wearing skimpy pajamas; no nudity; no alcohol; smoking; and, lying, revenge rebuked, kidnapping rebuked, people held for ransom.
GENRE: Crime Thriller
INTENDED AUDIENCE: Older teenagers and adults
Please address your comments to:
Michael Lynton, Chairman/CEO
Amy Pascal, Chairman - Motion Picture Group
Sony Pictures Entertainment
(Columbia Pictures/TriStar/Screen Gems/Provident/Triumph Films)
10202 West Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232-3195
Phone: (310) 244-4000
Fax: (310) 244-2626
Web Page: www.spe.sony.com/
SUMMARY: THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 stars Denzel Washington as Walter Garber, a New York City subway dispatcher who must redeem himself by taking on a foul-mouthed criminal mastermind who is holding about 17 subway passengers for 10 million dollars ransom. THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 is an excellent, suspenseful thriller with a strong Christian, redemptive worldview, but it is marred by a whole lot of strong foul language and some intense, very strong depicted violence where people are shot multiple times.
IN BRIEF:
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 stars Denzel Washington as Walter Garber, a New York City subway dispatcher, temporarily demoted pending a bribery investigation. John Travolta plays a foul-mouthed criminal mastermind named Ryder, who has hijacked a subway car with 17 or so passengers on board. Ryder only wants to talk to Walter about the ransom. He wants the mayor to send him 10 million dollars in cash in one hour, or he will start killing one hostage every minute past the deadline. Tensions mount as the deadline approaches.
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 is a very effective thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Washington and Travolta deliver excellent performances. Best of all, the movie has a strong, heroic Christian worldview that promotes the idea that every one of us owe God our lives. This Christian theme comes from the dramatic conversations that occur between Washington and Travolta. Regrettably, this redemptive theme is spoiled by lots of strong foul language, coming mostly from the criminal mastermind and his cohorts. Also, there are several intense scenes of depicted violence where people are shot multiple times. Thus, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.
NOTE from Dr. Ted Baehr, publisher of Movieguide Magazine. For more information from a Christian perspective, order the latest Movieguide Magazine by calling 1-800-899-6684(MOVI) or visit our website at www.movieguide.org. Movieguide is dedicated to redeeming the values of Hollywood by informing parents about today's movies and entertainment and by showing media executives and artists that family-friendly and even Christian-friendly movies do best at the box office year in and year out. Movieguide now offers an online subscription to its magazine version, atwww.movieguide.org. The magazine, which comes out 25 times a year, contains many informative articles and reviews that help parents train their children to be media-wise consumers.
