Review of Escape from New York (1981) by Jordan E — 15 Jan 2012

Directed by John Carpenter (of "Halloween" fame) and starring Kurt Russell ("The Thing"), "Escape from New York" was one of the first independent science-fiction films that used a combination of genres in a science-fiction setting. The story resolves around Snake Plisken, a former Special Forces operative that's being sent into the prison of New York before being recruited to save the president of the United States, who crash-landed inside the middle of the city-turned-prison.

This film was the second outting with the team of Russel and Carpenter, after making "Elvis" and before making "The Thing". This film became a cult favorite for science-fiction fans; not only for its "dystopic" and dark future setting, but also for the fact that the fans actually begin rooting for the anti-hero of the piece. In a future that no one can trust anyone but themselves (not even the police, which at times turn out to be as bad as the people they lock inside the city), Snake must face challenges that set the viewer on the edge of his seat so that he returns with the president alive so he himself can stay alive, as well.

I first saw this film on a late night on AMC when I was a kid, and I instantly loved this film. It was gritty and dark; offered characters that you rooted for, laughed with, and hoped to be blown away; and, above all, offered the fans a new kind of hero that can be somewhat related to and that the fans can't help but root for (not unlike Clint Eastwood's characters in the speghetti westerns of the 1960s). I couldn't help but love this film, both for the science-fiction aspect as well as the originality of the plot. Anyone who loves science-fiction or just plain good action films, this is a great film to see!

"Call me Snake.".