The year is 1997: Manhattan Island is now a heavily guarded maximum-security prison, where the scum of the earth have converged. When Air Force One crash-lands in Manhattan, the President (
Donald Pleasence) is held hostage by its denizens. One-eyed mercenary Snake Plissken (
Kurt Russell) is strong-armed into rescuing the Chief Executive. He is aided, not always willingly, by a tough gal (
Adrienne Barbeau) and a manic cab driver (
Ernest Borgnine). Too long for its own good (especially in its expanded video version), Escape from New York is an otherwise excellent chunk of non-think entertainment. It was followed by a sequel of sorts in 1996, Escape From LA, again starring
Kurt Russell. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide