Escape From New York

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Escape From New York

R

1981

1h 39m

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

163 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

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Critics Consensus

It may not make the most of its ingenious dystopian premise, but Escape from New York remains a visually striking and thrilling sci-fi actioner, elevated by pitch-black humor and Kurt Russell's charismatically gruff Snake Plissken.

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David Robinson

The Times (UK)

Jun 22

This potentially interesting story is followed through with only the mechanical, high-coloured, two-dimensional style of comic strip

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Jeff Millar

Houston Chronicle

Jun 4

The dialogue is facetiously clench-jawed. The handling of the narrative prankishly thumbs its nose at logic and/or motivation. Russell reads his dialogue in a Clint Eastwood hiss. It's fun.

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Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

Jun 4

Ultimately, the movie's eye is more impressive than anything in its head.

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James Calloway

News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

Jun 4

Once you manage to swallow the preposterous premise for "Escape From New York," the idea has all kinds of possibilities, but the movie takes advantage of only a few of them.

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Ciaran Carty

Sunday Independent (Ireland)

Jun 4

The underlying appeal is the familiar man-alone-against impossible-odds theme.

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Ginger Varney

L.A. Weekly

Jun 4

The biggest problem: Carpenter and his writers have zero sense of characters, and despite some fine casting in the secondary roles, the movie feels like a comic book.

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Jason

02/08/2024

They don't make movies like these anymore. Thank you for bringing it back to the big screen.

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Joby

02/05/2024

What a great way to see a classic Carpenter/Russell collaboration. I never saw it in the theater, but this limited released allowed me to take my son to see it on the big screen. Movie still hold up today. Amazing

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S. Thomas

02/05/2024

Kurt Russell's most iconic role ever

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03Cobra

02/05/2024

An all-time classic. Never gets old. Carpenter in his prime ('76-'94).

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Meghan M

@RT97728074 Jul 25

Classic movie. We didn't realize at the time it came out how prophetic it would turn out to be.

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Ian R

@RT23899272 Jul 21

Kurt Russell is professional as always. Not as good as The Thing, but worth a watch.

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John Carpenter

Director

Kurt Russell

Snake Plissken

Ernest Borgnine

Cabbie

Adrienne Barbeau

Maggie

Lee Van Cleef

Bob Hauk

Donald Pleasence

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Escape From New York: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Larry J. Franco, Debra Hill
Screenwriter: Nick Castle, John Carpenter
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: AVCO Embassy Pictures, Goldcrest Films International, International Film Investors
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1981, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Surround