Escape from Los Angeles has always been a difficult task. Not only was he tasked with following up on John Carpenter’s blockbuster Escape from New York – a film that has grown in popularity every year since its release – but he also had to do so 15 years after it happened. Released in 1996, Kurt Russell’s back for leather and leather Snake Plissken pants is the last thing the US government hopes to stop the world from falling apart, but there’s a catch. A snake has been infected with a deadly virus that will kill it within hours.
Does the Snake have the strength and willpower to succeed? Or will he face his own destiny – and the fate of the world?
Escape from Los Angeles is a hard-to-watch movie. Most of the time, he tries to expand on a number of New York escape concepts.
This time, Los Angeles was – literally – removed from the USA and stripped of its citizenship. Snake is taken to find a politician’s daughter while he is also tasked with finding an important but mysterious chest.
Escape from LA has a lot of details hidden inside the demon – but unfortunately, not the most exciting.
Perhaps my biggest drawback with Escape from LA as a movie is that it doesn’t deliver on any of its promises.
Chekhov’s cocked and loaded guns in the first act are left on the table throughout the entire movie without even taking a second look.
It wouldn’t be rewarding as a viewer to keep working for 100 minutes.
When things get a little fun, they seem almost pointless – especially (again) when compared to the events of Escape from New York.
But it is absurd to attack a 20-year-old film for its plot. The real attraction here lies in its quality.
This is without a doubt the best and only way fans of Snake, Russell and/or Carpenter Escape from LA have to watch.
The image is clean, clear and legible. The distant future of 2013 is bleak and miserable at best. And while the sets and props may seem a little tricky now, it’s still more interesting than the hideous CGI mocked in every movie released today.
A special strength of this version is its voice. The explosions, the ruthless attack of a close-up Snake fighter, and the retro futuristic nature of the world’s technology are all captivating and satisfying. One of the best movies I’ve easily enjoyed (and directed by John Carpenter, did he even surprise us?).
Perhaps the only disappointing feature (or lack thereof) is the special features. Sure, Escape from LA didn’t break any records or start any careers, but there must have been some interesting anecdotes or anecdotes that Carpenter or Russell would have indulged in fan commentary, right?
John Carpenter fans need this for their ever-growing collection. Get it while you can – it probably won’t last forever.
John Carpenter’s Escape From LA is available in 4K UHD now.
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