I'm not really sure why they're remaking this film. I like most of Tony Scott's stuff, but I don't know what else can be brought to the table after watching this version of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Filled with dark humor and New York cynicism, it definitely speaks of the urban climate in the seventies, but also of the attitude most New Yorkers have on a daily basis to this day. I'm also a bit of a trainspotter, so anything dealing with trains/subways I always have a vested interest in.
The flick has a brilliant cast from Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw to even Jerry Stiller. More than anything its fun to see these guys as they were more than thirty years ago before Jaws even came out. The choice of giving some of these roles to comedians definitely helped in adding the grim humor to the entire situation. Couple that with the soundtrack and it's a film that screams the seventies. It matches the kind of style everybody was used to during the first half of that decade and paints an interesting picture to future generations (moi) looking back.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a pretty simple heist film with the twist of it being on the subway. The good guys win, the bad guys get killed, and a few hostages get popped along the way. But what is interesting is that "along the way" part. Seeing how people react to this insane situation and how they get from A to B to C. Its what makes the story worth watching, and if you're as deranged as me you'll even get a few laughs out of it.