Review of Escape from New York (1981) by Peter N — 30 Jul 2012
John Carpenter is one of the most stylish directors in cinematic history, and his futuristic take on New York City as a grim, rotting prison for only the most sadistic of criminals, is both unique and intriguing.
The film features Kurt Russell (before his Disney movie binge) as an endearing Snake Plissken, turning him into an icon of action cinema. The prisoner sequences and overall atmosphere of the rotting metropolis are quirky and often bizarre, but what else would one expect from a John Carpenter film? Apart from Plissken himself, the characters are all fairly forgettable, yet one of the hidden gems is the fact that it is one of the final film appearances of Lee Van Cleef.
The plot is a little slow at times and the movie feels considerably dated, but it still makes for a solid suspense thriller.
This review of Escape from New York (1981) was written by Peter N on 30 Jul 2012.
Escape from New York has generally received positive reviews.
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