by John Constantine
As a subway commuter myself, I have to admit that the idea of getting hijacked by criminals looking to ransom off New York City resident and torture Denzel Washington is pretty terrifying. Then again, if it was John Travolta doing the hijacking, it would probably be hilarious and make for an entertaining day.
This week’s remake of “The Tacking of Pelham 1 2 3” is more than entertainment, though. It is a reminder of public transportation’s, especially the subway’s, vital role in creating kickass cinematic drama and action. Here, for your pleasure, are my five most gripping subway scenes in film history.
Men in Black 2 (2002)
There is a significant difference between riding the New York City subway system as a visitor and riding it as a resident of the city. A visitor never gets to ride these giant, finicky, subterranean monsters as a novelty. Residents are immune to it all; the subway is just an A-to-B proposition, and -- like Las Vegas -- anything that happens there should remain there. That's exactly what the commuters from “Men in Black II”’s most memorable scene must have been thinking at any rate. The movie opens with Will Smith’s Agent J riding an enormous space worm through the subway system. When he gets getting thrown into a train and starts screaming about how a giant alien is about to eat everybody, the train passengers don’t even bat an eye. They pause only when the alien starts devouring the train. This is the most accurate NYC subway scene in a movie. Ever.
Predator 2 (1990)
Taking the Predator out of the jungle and putting him into Los Angeles doesn’t seem like a bad idea at first. Unfortunately, things didn't work out so well for "Predator 2." though things may soon be set right with "Predators", the franchise has yet to recover from that blunder almost twenty years ago. We'll always have that subway scene though. "Predator 2"'s most memorable and terrifying scene takes place within a speeding subway. As a ghostly stealth-mode Predator stalks through the train car towards a panicked crowd -- and a screaming Bill Paxton -- the monster goes from being kind of silly to legitimately terrifying. It only gets worse when the Predator asks Paxton, “Want some candy?” GAH! I actually just got chills.
Speed (1994)
When your ingredients for a sexy climax mix one cup Keanu Reeves, two tablespoons Sandra Bullock, and a pinch of Dennis Hopper, you may have culinary nightmare in the making. “Speed” beats the odds though, and its subway conclusion is both a delightful confection and a potent aphrodisiac. After being stuck on a city bus all day (i.e. the least appealing place on Earth), Reeves' LAPD cop chases Hopper's mad bomber onto a moving subway car, fights him, decapitates him and bursts onto the train to save Miss Sandra B. But, oh no! She’s got a bomb strapped to her, she’s handcuffed, and the train’s controls are broken! Pop quiz hotshot: how do you save the day from there? Answer: you don't. Instead, you make peace with your plight and start furiously making out with your distressed damsel before the train crashes. They don’t die of course, but Keanu and Sandra just keep making out. Hot as hell.
The Matrix (1999)
Subways help throw the successes and failures of “The Matrix” franchise into stark, easy-to-digest relief. “The Matrix Revolutions” is at the low end of the subway scale: it opens with Neo trapped in a station called Mobil (an anagram for Limbo), listening to a pair of computer programs spout their views on love. The original “Matrix” sits at the top, ending with one of the coolest fight scenes in film history. Agent Smith's brutal kung fu faceoff against Neo in a dilapidated station culminates with the Agent holding Reeves' super-powered savior down in front of a moving subway train. His death is “inevitable.” Sure. That's when Neo slams Smith into the ceiling and flips back onto the platform, leaving the Agent to be smashed by the car. Say what you will about subsequent Matrices. This scene is cool as hell.
The Fugitive (1993)
This is a bit of a cheat. After all, Chicago’s transit system is an elevated train, not an underground one. I’m going to make an exception though since this is the greatest subway scene in film's rich, storied history. After months of running from the Chicago PD, the US marshals and his own crushing guilt, Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) finally confronts his wife’s killer on a speeding L train. All of the film’s emotional tension leads to this moment, and Kimble’s fight with the one-armed man doesn’t disappoint. When Kimble cuffs the killer to a handlebar, slams his head against a door, and says, “You missed your stop!” you can’t help but cheer. The movie’s actual conclusion, a fight against evil Dr. Charles Nichols, pales in comparison. This sequence gets extra points for a Neil Flynn (aka “Scrubs”’ Janitor) cameo.
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