Escape from L.A. (1996)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tim S

  
  Ok, so this isn't quite the pile of manure people would have you believe it to be. But on the other hand, it's not a very good movie, either. Just based on the comparisons to the original, it's very much laughable at some points. I think a lot of the CGI doesn't… More
  Ok, so this isn't quite the pile of manure people would have you believe it to be. But on the other hand, it's not a very good movie, either. Just based on the comparisons to the original, it's very much laughable at some points. I think a lot of the CGI doesn't really fit in either. I think they were attempting to recapture some of what made Escape from New York so special, but with some goofy ideas and much more modern film techniques. Had it been done the old fashioned way, even with the goofy ideas, it might have fared better. It's not complete crap, but it's worth seeing the character of Snake again. For that much, I'm thankful. I just wish it were as edgy and raw as the original was.

• Tony G

  
  The unnecessary and atrocious "Escape from L.A." has all the qualities of what makes a sequel bad with its forced, recycled plots and misguided action sequences. The charm Kurt Russell brings to Snake Plisskin is not enough to carry a film saddled with such unoriginal… More
  The unnecessary and atrocious "Escape from L.A." has all the qualities of what makes a sequel bad with its forced, recycled plots and misguided action sequences. The charm Kurt Russell brings to Snake Plisskin is not enough to carry a film saddled with such unoriginal material. Fans of "Escape from New York" (as I am) will spend the film noticing the writers' lazy recycling of "New York" plot points transplanted to "L.A." Unfortunately "L.A." doesn't have the grit that urban New York has so the tone doesn't travel well and becomes too campy. There are some nice moments in "L.A.": such as a clever plastic surgery sequence that should have been the tone the movie should have strived for and great cameos by Bruce Campbell and Pam Grier, but there is so little originality in "L.A." that it doesn't even warrant a layover visit.

• ♥Robyn

  
  John Carpenter's ``Escape From L.A'' is an action extravaganza~! its a dark vision of a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles,leveled by a MASSIVE earthquake, and cut off from the mainland by a flooded San Fernando Valley, and converted into a prison camp for the nation's… More
  John Carpenter's ``Escape From L.A'' is an action extravaganza~! its a dark vision of a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles,leveled by a MASSIVE earthquake, and cut off from the mainland by a flooded San Fernando Valley, and converted into a prison camp for the nation's undesirables. couldnt really get into this one,even tho i am a fan of sci-fi films and though there were some good actors in it such as kurt russel,.it just didnt cut it for me.

• Luke B

  
  More of a remake than a sequel. This has Snake going into LA (now a prison) to retrieve something for the president. He's blackmailed into it, he gets into a fight, has one of his legs injured etc. etc. It's too similar to be really enjoyable, but there are some nice… More
  More of a remake than a sequel. This has Snake going into LA (now a prison) to retrieve something for the president. He's blackmailed into it, he gets into a fight, has one of his legs injured etc. etc. It's too similar to be really enjoyable, but there are some nice moments. The plastic surgery people were comical, grotesque, and a dig at the world of Hollywood. The effects are so terrible that they add to the charm. See Russell and Fonda surf with the poor CGI. Picks up towards the end, but you may as well watch Escape from New York.

• xGary X

  
  The most famous war hero turned bank robber of America's near future manages to get himself caught (again) to be blackmailed (again) and sent on a mission into a lawless L.A. to retrieve a doomsday weapon for the government. Again. This film reminded me of "Dancing In The… More
  The most famous war hero turned bank robber of America's near future manages to get himself caught (again) to be blackmailed (again) and sent on a mission into a lawless L.A. to retrieve a doomsday weapon for the government. Again. This film reminded me of "Dancing In The Street" by David Bowie and Mick Jagger. Escape From L.A. basically rehashes all of the ideas from New York, but somehow manages to exclude everything about it that made it good. Russell swaggers around dressed as a refugee from a gay version of the Matrix on the site of a bad goth music video amongst an ill-fittiing jigsaw puzzle of weak social satire and overblown action sequences shored up by some really dated looking CGI. The supporting cast sound good on paper, but Buscemi is wasted as a kind of post apocalyptic used car salesman, an unrecognisable Bruce Campbell gets to say two lines (literally) and disappears without trace and Pam Grier slums it as a transexual and has to say all her lines through a voice distorter that makes her sound more like The Exorcist than a man in drag. And Peter Fonda is just DREADFUL. The action is actually rather better handled than in New York, but everything else is just so damn lame, the worst example being the laughable death by shooting hoops scene. It's basically a couple of old men who were well past their sell by date throwing money at a soulless cover version of a popular classic that manages to look even more dated than the original. Like I said. Dancing In The Street.

• Wahida K

  
  This is a true great classic with Kurt Russell I have seen couple of times.

• Conner R

  
  It's almost sad to watch. It's worth watching for Kurt Russell, but the movie is a disgrace to everything Escape From New York stands for. It's corny and fake looking. I mean, Snake surfs and plays basketball. Kurt Russell tried so hard, hopefully he'll have… More
  It's almost sad to watch. It's worth watching for Kurt Russell, but the movie is a disgrace to everything Escape From New York stands for. It's corny and fake looking. I mean, Snake surfs and plays basketball. Kurt Russell tried so hard, hopefully he'll have another chance at redemption somewhere down the line.

• Anthony L

  
  A guilty pleasure with a fantastic cast. Tongue firmly in cheek but a disappointing sequel. Not great but forgivable.

• Lafe F

  
  A fun movie done in the same template as "Escape from New York". The surfing scene looked silly. Not enough Los Angeles landmarks were shown. It was goofier. Not a classic like the original. It was like how "The Crow: City of Angels" related to the original… More
  A fun movie done in the same template as "Escape from New York". The surfing scene looked silly. Not enough Los Angeles landmarks were shown. It was goofier. Not a classic like the original. It was like how "The Crow: City of Angels" related to the original "The Crow". I liked the energetic soundtrack by John Carpenter. The social commentary played for laughs was well done. Kurt Russell does a great job as Snake Plissken again. The action never seems to let up, with a nice variety of sequences involving cars, explosions, basketball, surfing, underwater and aerial assaults. The kickass ending made me smile.

• Cassandra M

  
  This sequel to "Escape From New York"isn't half bad.it doesn't have the gritty,unpolished look of the original,and it's not as edgy.however,i did find it more humorous,and it's more of an action adventure movie,than pure drama,unlike the the original.the… More
  This sequel to "Escape From New York"isn't half bad.it doesn't have the gritty,unpolished look of the original,and it's not as edgy.however,i did find it more humorous,and it's more of an action adventure movie,than pure drama,unlike the the original.the movie had a lighter feel to it.i didn't find it had the same sense of loss and decay.i did find it entertaining,and fairly fast paced,though there were a few mildly ridiculous scenes that felt out of place.i also noticed(as anyone who watches it will)that the general plot line was almost a carbon copy of the original,with a few variations in detail.i still liked it,and thought it was as good as the original,though,like i said,if you're expecting a departure from the formula of the first,you won't find it

• Dean !

  
  A reasonable sequel to Escape from New York which was made 15 years earlier! Starting to look a little dated now but it has a certain retro action flick charm about it.

• Aaron N

  
  President: You'll be given a full pardon for every moral crime you've committed in the United States. Snake Plissken: Sounds familiar. A fan of Carpenter/Russell collaborations has to be torn about this film. It has that initial factor, but it is also a rehash of the same… More
  President: You'll be given a full pardon for every moral crime you've committed in the United States. Snake Plissken: Sounds familiar. A fan of Carpenter/Russell collaborations has to be torn about this film. It has that initial factor, but it is also a rehash of the same movie they made years prior, only with a higher budget for effects and the change to Los Angeles. Same basic plot here, Snake is back, he's been captured and is given a chance for freedom, provided he recovers a special government item. Snake is even tricked into being given something that will kill him if he isn't fast enough. Before Russell went on to be Stuntman Mike in Death Proof, this was a film containing the same Grindhouse quality. It is an over-the-top campy ride that is not at all serious, especially compared to the first. Further helping this film is its supporting cast, which includes: Steve Buscemi, Stacy Keach, Bruce Campbel, Pam Grier, Robert Carradine, and Peter Fonda as a surfer. [facing four gunmen at once] Snake Plissken: I'm gonna give you assholes a chance. What do you say we play a little Bangkok Rules? [picks up a tin can. The four gunmen back up and get ready] Snake Plissken: Nobody draws until this hits the ground. [throws the can high into the air, then pulls his revolvers and kills all four gunmen before the can lands. Can hits the ground] Snake Plissken: Draw. Carpenter's style of film is once again present, but the fact that almost everything is the same doesn't really help. Its good to know that Russell had a lot of fun getting to play this character again, because he is what holds the movie together. It works well enough, but only the original is necessary. Duty Sergeant: What would you say to all of us who believed in you, who looked up to you, who thought you stood for right over wrong, good over evil? Be my guest. What do you have to say, Plissken? Snake Plissken: Call me Snake.

• Phil H

  
  awww this is sooo bad i almost cried.i wanted this sooo badly and is was crap.the effects were the worst cgi i've seen in a major film for ages.the cast is top notch and soundtrack is rock solid,check rob zombies escape la track.thats the only decent stuff there.a poor poor… More
  awww this is sooo bad i almost cried.i wanted this sooo badly and is was crap.the effects were the worst cgi i've seen in a major film for ages.the cast is top notch and soundtrack is rock solid,check rob zombies escape la track.thats the only decent stuff there.a poor poor movie.although the ending is pretty cool. 'welcome to the human race'

• Tsubaki S

  
  The right type of cheesy fun this world needs more often.

• Curtis L

  
  This one is pretty fun. I like Bruce Campbell as a plastic surgery mutant.

• Justin Y

  
  Snake Plissken doing it again. I thought that he'd be taller though.<p>The story is as interesting as it is entertaining. Good, but not great. The movie itself is somewhat slow, action wise, but moves at a quick pace, which keeps it from becoming completely boring. The… More
  Snake Plissken doing it again. I thought that he'd be taller though.<p>The story is as interesting as it is entertaining. Good, but not great. The movie itself is somewhat slow, action wise, but moves at a quick pace, which keeps it from becoming completely boring. The film does a nice job of throwing different and weird characters at you throughout to keep things fresh, but there are some characters/segments that seemed entirely useless with no real reason to show up in the plot. But, that doesn't mean that their parts aren't entertaining to watch. Its almost always a hoot to see Bruce Campbell on screen. The basketball scene is also a favorite of mine, although the shot selection is somewhat unrealistic.</p><p>The one shining point of this film is the acting, along with the dialogue. There are a ton of recognizable faces in this film. Valeria Golino, Pam Grier, and Steve Buscemi do what you expect them to do. The real stars of the show are, of course, Kurt Russell and Stacy Keach. Both perform their characters well. I also enjoyed Michelle Forbes' character.</p><p>This film also uses CG at certain points and while it isn't all that bad for its time, it is still disappointing. Its just a good thing that this film doesn't depend on it much.</p><p>For those of you that enjoyed the dark <i>Escape from New York</i>, then you should give this a try. Just don't expect to have a classic on your hands like the previously mentioned title.</p><p>"What's it going to be, Plissken? Them or us?"

• David L

  
  "Escape from New York" is to me a classic film, it's memorably dark, seedy, suspenseful and even funny. Alas, "Escape from L.A." is not nearly as memorable - in fact, it plays out as nothing more than a remake of its far more thrilling predecessor. Both… More
  "Escape from New York" is to me a classic film, it's memorably dark, seedy, suspenseful and even funny. Alas, "Escape from L.A." is not nearly as memorable - in fact, it plays out as nothing more than a remake of its far more thrilling predecessor. Both films have essentially the same premise; corrupt government officials send criminal tough guy "Snake" Plissken to infiltrate the ruins of a once-great city and retrieve some MacGuffin for them. In both films, Snake is reluctant to cooperate, but the government secures his compliance by threatening his life. So, Snake duly treks off to an urban wasteland, wasting thugs and meeting a variety of wacky characters on his way to completing his desperate mission. This sequel is a step down from the original movie. The villain is inferior, the president is inferior, and even the special effects are inferior (note the positively laughable CGI when Snake pilots his submarine to L.A.; the approach to New York in the first film is infinitely classier.) And, though both films have some very dark humor, I find that the jokes in the first are simply better. In "L.A.," there are some attempts at social satire, but by and large they don't work to well. For instance, the much-praised "plastic surgery" segment feels really isolated and pointless to me. It's a one-joke sequence that goes nowhere and contributes nothing to the plot. Ultimately, I think the first film has the edge in the humor department because it was co-written by Nick Castle, who reportedly lightened up the script and was quite a wit in general (though Castle is credited on this movie, I believe it's only because he wrote the original film.) One thing I loved about"Escape from L.A." is its social commentary. I agree with some of this film's criticisms of the religious right, some may find the presentation of these criticisms to be superficial, condescending, and obnoxious. To me I guess its just fun satire, even though some aspects of the film hit close to home. Suffice to say, if you're conservative, this movie will annoy you, and who knows even if you're an open-minded liberal, it might annoy you. To each his or her own. To sum up here Escape From L.A. has got some good cameos, a few decent scenes, but in the end...it just ain't the original. A fun film to watch but not a great film

• Steve K

  
  Not great, but still misunderstood.

• Michael S

  
  A farcry from the first, but still enjoyable.

• Al S

  
  A high-octane, stylish, riveting and exhilerating action-packed thriller. Head-bashing, hard-rocking and ass-kicking. An all-out fun flick. Kurt Russel and John Carpenter are back bringing the greatness of Snake Plissken back to the screen. After 15 years, it only got better with age.

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