Review of Escape from L.A. (1996) by Rj M — 31 May 2009

John Carpenter's sequel/remake of his classic Escape From New York is perhaps one othe most misunderstood movies of all time. It was always intened to be a cheesy, over the top, mocking of the post-apocalyptic genre the original film helped to create.

The visual effects may look like they're done with an old fashioned video toaster, but they only add to the fun. Like its predecessor, it's a visually striking movie that presents Los Angeles in a way that isn't hard to imagine.

The action scenes range from surfing a tsunami down "Wilshire Canyon", to a hang glider assault on "The Happy Kingdom". How can you not love it, and have fun? Kurt Russell returns to what he himself has admitted is his favorite character, and he hasn't lost a step.

Snake Plissken is still the ultimate anti-hero. He's joined by countless character actors including Steve Buscemi, Bruce Campbell, Robert Carridne, and old schoolers Peter Fonda and Cliff Robertson.

Carpenter brings all his usual visual flair to the movie, dropping us into this world, and bringing it fully to life. He also adds his trademark musical score to add that extra layer of atmosphere. Is it as good as the original? No.

But how could it be? It's still a helluva fun movie that gives us visuals and action scenes unlike anything else out there. Carpenter + Russell = GREAT ENTERTAINMENT!