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The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

R  |   |  Action, Crime, Thriller  |  12 June 2009 (USA)
6.4
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Ratings: 6.4/10 from 139,887 users   Metascore: 55/100
Reviews: 282 user | 262 critic | 34 from Metacritic.com

Armed men hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom, and turning an ordinary day's work for dispatcher Walter Garber into a face-off with the mastermind behind the crime.

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(screenplay), (novel)
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Cast

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Mom
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8-Year-Old Boy
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Storyline

In early afternoon, four armed men hijack a subway train in Manhattan. They stop on a slight incline, decoupling the first car to let the rest of the train coast back. Their leader is Ryder; he connects by phone with Walter Garber, the dispatcher watching that line. Garber is a supervisor temporarily demoted while being investigated for bribery. Ryder demands $10 million within an hour, or he'll start shooting hostages. He'll deal only with Garber. The mayor okays the payoff, the news of the hostage situation sends the stock market tumbling, and it's unclear what Ryder really wants or if Garber is part of the deal. Will hostages, kidnappers, and negotiators live through this? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

train | hostage | subway | hijack | ransom | See All (117) »

Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and pervasive language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

12 June 2009 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

The Taking of Pelham 123  »

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$23,373,102 (USA) (12 June 2009)

Gross:

£4,720,832 (UK) (21 August 2009)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

In the novel it takes longer to get to the hijacking than it does in the film. See more »

Goofs

The movie was filmed in Super 35, but "Filmed in Panavision" is listed in the end credits. See more »

Quotes

Ryder: This make you feel better, Garber? That make everything okay now?
Walter Garber: No, but it's a start.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Subway footage and sounds are mixed in with the production company logos shown after the end credits. See more »

Connections

Referenced in End Roll (2012) See more »

Soundtracks

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums
Written by Maynard James Keenan (as Maynard Keenan) and Billy Howerdel
Performed by A Perfect Circle
Courtesy of Virgin Records America
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Denzel Washington does it again
13 June 2009 | by (Virginia) – See all my reviews

This urban crime drama is a diverting entry with plenty of action, tense moments and running dialogue to sustain interest for the duration of the film. The main plot is a hostage situation and a demand for an outrageous sum of money. Denzel Washington and John Travolta spar throughout the picture and play off each other very well. Denzel, as always, is great and Travolta makes a good heavy although some of his one-liners fall flat as he negotiates with Washington. There are several interesting scenes of the trains, subway stations, tunnels, track beds and elevated sequences where the action takes place. Some of the street-level scenes, involving taxi and police car stunts don't seem to be necessary. Cast and camera work are very nice.


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BAD REMAKE arcturus6
So did he take the bribe?? butterrfly-1
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The webcam - it went nowhere in the plot pegasusgiraffe
Garber's 'confession' amandaisworthabillion
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