When the president crashes into Manhattan, now a maximum
​security prison, a soldier turned criminal is recruited to rescue him.

ACTION/SCI-FI

Escape from New York (1981)

Directed by John Carpenter

Written by John Carpenter and Nick Castle

Starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton, Adrienne Barbeau, Isaac Hayes

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Connor Eyzaguirre

November 29, 2019

9/10

Escape from New York is one of the most badass action flicks of the early 80's and easily one of John Carpenter's best movies. It's the role that made Kurt Russell an action hero, and it remains his greatest, most charismatic performance. An all-star cast, a simplistic but unforgettable score, and one of the coolest premises in sci-fi history. I mean, come on! How can anybody not immediately fall in love with this cult classic? It introduced the pop culture world to Snake Plissken and it still holds up today despite taking place in the distant dystopian future of 1997.

After the U.S. crime rate rises 400%, a decision is made to convert the island of Manhattan into a giant maximum security prison for murderers, rapists, terrorists, and other dangerous criminals. When the U.S. President (Pleasence) crash lands inside the island and is captured by the Duke of New York (Hayes), there's only one man who rescue him. Snake Plissken (Russell), a soldier convicted of an attempted bank robbery who is a living legend to pretty much everybody. Snake's on a time crunch, though, and if he doesn't make it back in 24 hours, he'll die. Thus begins an intense, edge-of-your-seat adventure that never stops once it gets going. Every second of this film is pure awesomeness, and Carpenter's pulse-pounding score just adds to it.

Escape from New York is an undisputed masterpiece of furious 80's action. No cheese, no corniness, just a badass with a job to do. The effects don't feel dated, the characters are all interesting, and the world that Carpenter creates here is absolutely fascinating. Imagine a world where one of the biggest cities in the country is suddenly converted into a giant prison. What would a society that does something like that look like? Who knows? There's been rumors of a remake on the horizon for years, and I really hope it never happens. They've already ruined Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13, The Thing, and The Fog. Leave this one alone, folks.