- Film Review
- Reviewed By Alan Jones
-
3 out of 5
A sullen Kurt Russell impersonates Clint Eastwood in this tough futuristic western from director John Carpenter that never fulfils the ingenuity of its premise: the president's plane crashes in Manhattan, which is now a maximum security prison, and Russell has to go in and rescue him. Closely resembling Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 in tone and plot dynamics, it's certainly the director's slickest-looking film, and the presence of Lee Van Cleef reinforces its Sergio Leone associations. Yet, despite a marvellous night-time opening sequence, this slice of escapism often disappoints, though it rates higher than the 1996 sequel, Escape from LA.
Plot Summary
Futuristic action thriller from John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef and Donald Pleasence. The year is 1997 and the island of Manhattan has been turned into a maximum security prison. When the US president's plane crashes into this lawless hell, new convict Snake Plissken is called in to help.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Snake Plissken
- Kurt Russell
- Bob Hauk
- Lee Van Cleef
- President
- Donald Pleasence
- Duke of New York
- Isaac Hayes
- Maggie
- Adrienne Barbeau
- "Brain"
- Harry Dean Stanton
- Cabby
- Ernest Borgnine
- Girl in Chock Full o'Nuts
- Season Hubley
- Rehme
- Tom Atkins
- Secretary of State
- Charles Cyphers
- Romero
- Frank Doubleday
- Cronenberg
- John Strobel
Crew
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Share this episode
-