Amazon.com essential video: Fifteen years after John Carpenter squandered a great idea on a mediocre movie (Escape from New York), he does it again--this time on the Left Coast. Kurt Russell is back as the terminally cynical one-eyed action hero Snake Plissken who, this time, has been coerced into saving the world in Los Angeles. It's 2013 and L.A. is now an island maximum security prison off the coast of California. Snake has 10 hours to find a doomsday weapon that's fallen into the hands of revolutionaries before he dies of a virus with which he's been injected. But the action is clumsy and unimaginative: lots of shootouts and very little suspense. Even the bad guys aren't particularly inventive; only Pam Grier, as a transsexual gang leader, strikes any sparks. Russell growls his way through the role but can only blame himself: He cowrote the script with Carpenter. --Marshall Fine
A GREAT CULT CLASSIC MOVIE! This movie follows Escape from New York, and it's just great. It's not meant to be taken too seriously. There are subtle jokes throughout the movie. A lot of it is tongue in cheek. So enjoy it for what it is. My favorite line is "This is LA, and this ****ing city can kill anyone!" There will be no Oscars, no awards given out for this movie... it's just mindless entertainment. You can tell Kurt Russell is having fun with the character. The whole movie is "over the top" and that's the point. Loads of fun, provided you don't take the movie, or yourself, too seriously. So lighten up, sit back, and enjoy!
You cannot review this... OK, this isn't Citizen Kane, you put this in and turn your brain off and giggle... I would be shocked if John Carpenter took this movie seriously... it's just not something I can wrap my brain around.
Anyway, it's a really fun movie, so bad its great.
Escape From L.A. still enjoy this movie. it's one of those that need's to be in your collection if you like kurk russell
Land Of The Free Snake: Got a smoke? Malloy: America is a no smoking nation, no smoking, no drinking, no foul language, no sex unless your married, no red meat. Snake: Land of the free.
There's not much new about Escape From LA, compared to its predecessor. It's pretty much the same story, set in a different place, and Kurt Russell once more in a race against the clock, in order to rescue a black box from the president's daughter.
This time, 2013, the prison is LA, after being separated from mainland by major earthquakes, and still suffering from the aftershocks. The president's daughter hijacks Air Force 3, and crash lands in LA, away from the restraints of daddy, and free to do what she wants. Which is get in with the wrong crowd and not wear very much. Of course, Snake is back and instantly recognisable to everyone, after his escapades in New York, and he has to be the one to go into LA.
Of course, there are a few similarities to the first movie: he gets a time limit on his life to get the mission done, the vehicle that he uses to get to the island is destroyed, the girl he briefly meets is killed, and he has to play a game to survive. Sure there's nothing new, but Kurt manages to pull it off.
The supporting cast, alongside Kurt, is excellent. Steve Buscemi, playing his usual eccentric character, Pam Grier, Michelle Forbes (who I knew from Kalifornia), Valeria Golino, and a shockingly different Bruce Campbell, were all excellent. Bruce Campbell I luckily managed to spot - he's not recognisable, a lot of prosthetics, but the chin is impossible to disguise!
Why was there never a third movie made? After the ending Escape From LA was given? Hell yeah, there should have been another movie made. Escape From Earth has been batted around for many years since this was made, but it's never been made up until ... soon hopefully. With Stallone coming back for Rocky & Rambo, and Ford coming back for another Indiana Jones, why not revisit this once more? The finale just left too many things hanging. It's a necessity. Hey, I think Kurt could still fit into that outfit. And get the hair long again. Easy. Do IT!!!
Been there, done that. What can I say? Did you see Escape from New York? Well then you have practically already seen Escape from L.A. There's no going around it. It's the EXACT same movie. Same urban renewal backdrop, the same plot twists, same jokes even. You can put the two movies next to each other and follow them scene-by-scene. Oh sure a few details are different, but you're getting the exact same movie.
I'm not kidding here. Snake is forced to help the government just like the first movie. Snake has to look for someone lost inside an urban wasteland who happens to also hold something important... just like the last movie. There is a main villain who controls the city and plans to break out just like the last movie. There is even a gladiatorial game scene like the last movie. And wouldn't you know it the movie ends with the same plot twist as the last movie. Sorry if I spoiled it for you but lets face facts. If you seen Escape from New York you haven't missed anything.
Granted the first movie was made back in 1981 so Escape from L.A. is more polished with its special effects, cinematography and stuff like that. Snake does have more toys to play with guns and weapons-wise and the tech is neater. You have all these little improvements as well as a recycled story, but none of the personality from the last movie. Escape from New York had a raw and gritty feel to it that put it in the annals of the cyberpunk genre. This movie is just a Hollywood rehash with hardly any of the color and charm from the original.
One more time for those not paying attention: If you've seen Escape from New York you have already seen this movie. No joke. If you never seen either of them I would still recommend watching Escape from NY instead of this one. It's not that the movie is bad. It's just that it's been done before... literally.
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
