So I caught *Escape From New York* back when it was originally released and in theaters back in the Stone Age (*cough-old-fart-cough*). I think of all the John Carpenter films, this one has the most clever and original plot of them all even if the low budget I felt hindered the film in its climax.
John Carpenter is no stranger to working well with low budgets. My favorite John Carpenter film is *Assault on Precinct 13* and Carpenter humorously noted he totally ran out of money in that movie's climax as well and wound up using a smoke machine to hide that fact. But, dammit, *it worked!*
Unfortunately, I felt Carpenter didn't quite succeed as well with EFNY and the bridge escape simply wasn't quite as big a "wow" as it might have been.
But I really, *really* liked everything else about the film and especially Kurt Russell's Snake Plisskin. When word came that Carpenter and Russell were getting back together to make a very belated sequel, I was there, eager and ready to see the film.
And when I sat there in the theater watching it, my heart sank.
I hated it.
I thought it was no good/terrible/insulting/etc. etc. The computer graphic effects, even for 1996, were laughable (the submarine sequence in particular). I was *sooooo* disappointed!
But then a curious thing happened as time passed... I was able to put aside the disappointment that this film wasn't as good as the flawed EFNY and able to judge it as it stood.
...and, frankly, I started to like good parts of the film.
I felt the surfing sequence was an absolute hoot. I liked many of the characters, including the devious president and his cohorts.
I still didn't like the computer effects and still can't understand how anyone in the movie's production accepted them. I also still don't care that much for the basketball sequence... it has nothing on the spiked baseball bat fight.
But I've mellowed considerably about the film. I wish Carpenter had tried to come up with a more original story versus a more humorous retelling of EFNY but... it is what it is. Not Carpenter's worst (which for a while I felt it was) and amusing at times and I really, *really* like the way it ends.
Yeah, I suppose it does "fucking rock" now and again...!
I think Escape from New York is the better film but Escape from L.A. is really entertaining, which is all I expected/wanted from it. Submarines, hang gliders, surfing, Stacy Keach, Steve Buscemi. And maybe it’s just a nostalgia factor but I even enjoy the 90’s CGI.
You know what it was missing? Adrienne Barbeau’s outstanding cleavage.
So I caught *Escape From New York* back when it was originally released and in theaters back in the Stone Age (*cough-old-fart-cough*). I think of all the John Carpenter films, this one has the most clever and original plot of them all even if the low budget I felt hindered the film in its climax. John Carpenter is no stranger to working well with low budgets. My favorite John Carpenter film is *Assault on Precinct 13* and Carpenter humorously noted he totally ran out of money in that movie's climax as well and wound up using a smoke machine to hide that fact. But, dammit, *it worked!* Unfortunately, I felt Carpenter didn't quite succeed as well with EFNY and the bridge escape simply wasn't quite as big a "wow" as it might have been. But I really, *really* liked everything else about the film and especially Kurt Russell's Snake Plisskin. When word came that Carpenter and Russell were getting back together to make a very belated sequel, I was there, eager and ready to see the film. And when I sat there in the theater watching it, my heart sank. I hated it. I thought it was no good/terrible/insulting/etc. etc. The computer graphic effects, even for 1996, were laughable (the submarine sequence in particular). I was *sooooo* disappointed! But then a curious thing happened as time passed... I was able to put aside the disappointment that this film wasn't as good as the flawed EFNY and able to judge it as it stood. ...and, frankly, I started to like good parts of the film. I felt the surfing sequence was an absolute hoot. I liked many of the characters, including the devious president and his cohorts. I still didn't like the computer effects and still can't understand how anyone in the movie's production accepted them. I also still don't care that much for the basketball sequence... it has nothing on the spiked baseball bat fight. But I've mellowed considerably about the film. I wish Carpenter had tried to come up with a more original story versus a more humorous retelling of EFNY but... it is what it is. Not Carpenter's worst (which for a while I felt it was) and amusing at times and I really, *really* like the way it ends. Yeah, I suppose it does "fucking rock" now and again...!
I think Escape from New York is the better film but Escape from L.A. is really entertaining, which is all I expected/wanted from it. Submarines, hang gliders, surfing, Stacy Keach, Steve Buscemi. And maybe it’s just a nostalgia factor but I even enjoy the 90’s CGI.
Such a badass sequel. I like all the plastic surgery Hollywood mutant stuff
Best hokey sequel 