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THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 (Columbia, 2009) D: Tony Scott, w/ Denzel Washington, John Travolta. Rating: NNN; DVD package: NNN

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Video & DVD

The Taking Of Pelham 123

By Andrew Dowler

Armed men take hostages on a New York subway train, and their leader strikes up a relationship with the ordinary guy at the transit commission who takes the ransom call. It works beautifully. John Travolta pumps out one of his patented high-energy villians, and Denzel Washington wins our sympathy with a realistic portrait of a flawed man doing his best.

Writer Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) gives Travolta and Washington lots of crisp dialogue, and director Tony Scott surrounds them with first-rate New York actors, notably James Gandolfini as the mayor.

Scott’s moving camera and fetish for realism (well explored in the chatty and informative extras) give things a sense of urgency that’s marred only by one major story flaw. There’s a moment late in the movie when our hero can and should walk away. He doesn’t, of course, and the tension collapses while you resuspend your disbelief.

EXTRAS Director commentary, producer and writer commentary, making-of doc, New York subway doc, hair doc. Widescreen. English, French audio and subtitles.