The American director, who also has his own TV network, has been tapped to sit behind the camera on the upcoming remake of Escape from New York. Putting aside all the regular complaints about remakes aside, fans of the cult-classic movie do have some concerns about the changes to the original concept which Darryn told us about late last year. The selection of Rodriguez probably won’t do much to assuage that given his very up-and-down track record.
For all five of you who don’t know what the original Escape from New York was about, allow me to edjamakate youse. Directed by John Carpenter and released in 1981, the movie starred Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken – an eye patch-wearing ex-Special Forces soldier convicted of bank robbery. He’s promised his freedom in exchange for rescuing the President of the United States within 24 hours from the island of Manhatten, New York City which, in the far-flung dsytopian future of 1997, had been turned into an unsupervised maximum security prison / dumping ground for undesirables where criminal gangs ruled. The ’80s were a strange time.
The remake is reportedly inverting the prison dynamic. New York City is now a beacon of civilisation run by an A.I. while the outside world is a chaotic place with millions of people classed as refugees. Snake will only have 11 hours to complete his mission before the city is hit by a super-storm, and his primary antagonist will be a corporate CEO. That’s a serious amount of unsubtle social commentary. Surveillance states, refugees, climate change, and billionaires… and Snake in the middle of it all.
Personally I’m not too fussed by the choice because I’ve enjoyed all the Rodriguez-directed movies I’ve watched. Movies like Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City and Machete were all solidly entertaining movies and demonstrated that he can handle anti-heroes and larger than life characters perfectly well. My mild concerns about the changes to the core concept are tempered by the fact that Luthor writer Neil Cross is in charge of the script, and that 20th Century Fox has done a stellar job of not only remaking Planet of the Apes but turning it into a booming franchise.
What do you think?
P.S. I like Escape from L.A. more anyway, it has the best ending.
Last Updated: March 27, 2017
Original Heretic
March 27, 2017 at 11:54
Oh wow, I wasn’t thrilled when I heard they were doing this remake, but with Rodriguez at the helm, NOW I’m excited!
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:08
Hate to say it but you are, as usual, wrong. Watched both recently and Escape from LA is garbage. HA!
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 12:28
Escape from LA isn’t garbage. It might not be as good as Escape from NY, but damn it, they’re both fun movies, and LA had a few excellent scenes in it (there wasn’t a part with a big wave and surfing in it AT ALL though)
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:29
It has aged badly, like, really. NY is way better. Also, my reasons are correct and BEHIND YOU!
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 12:34
*looks over shoulder*
LIES!
I actually watched both recently, because yes, I have a problem and I watch them a lot. LA definitely didn’t age as well, because 90s CGI, but it’s not BAD. It has a certain charm to it. And let’s not forget the awesome “draw” scene.
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:35
The thing about it is he does very little compared to NY. He just gets dragged along by people, his ass kicking is totally played down (also watched like 2 months ago).
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 12:38
Yea. That’s true. Apart from pressing the button at the end himself, he didn’t do much but play basketball and surf 😀 Oh, and meet future Bruce Campbell.
All I have to say is that I think the idea of remaking it is just another cash grab. They really don’t have to remake EVERYTHING. And if the whole inverted thing is their idea for it then it’s even worse, because it changes the entire premise of what was cool about the old ones.
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:40
I honestly don’t get it either. They remade Total Recall and it was a Total fucking bore Give us some new stuff people!
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 12:41
Yea. What I’m really looking forward to is Valerian for this year. We need a new entry into the sci-fi genre…and Valerian and Laureline has decent content to work with.
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:43
To be honest I am getting a little worried about Valerian. I REALLY want it to rock, but the main actors are noobs…
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 12:47
I’m unsure about Cara (especially after her funny dancing moves in Suicide Squad as the “scary witch”), but Dane blew my mine in Spider-Man. I think he can do it.
That said, Mark Hamil was quite the noob before Star Wars (not that he was an amazing actor – don’t kill me sw fans). I’ll stay cautiously optimistic then.
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:48
Ya me too. Also, we are arranging a get together to watch John Wick 2 at Canal Walk if you are keen. We are thinking this wed or next at the R75 ViP screen.
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 13:15
Planning anything for week nights is a bit unreliable for me unfortunately because I never know if I’ll be able to go home normal hours. For some reason my wife didn’t like John Wick. Yea, I know XD
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 13:22
Time to get a new wife! *runs
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 27, 2017 at 12:51
L.A. has the best ending!
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 12:54
It needed it! Snake did stuff all the entire movie, all he did was hit a button!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 27, 2017 at 12:59
What would you have preferred? That he chooses a colour?
RinceThis
March 27, 2017 at 13:01
Yes! At least that would have increased his active participation in the story by a factor of 3!
Captain JJ
March 27, 2017 at 12:25
I also enjoyed Escape from LA quite a bit, Trevor. We really should stop agreeing on this. It’s weirding me out.
But seriously. LEAVE THIS SERIES ALONE.
Look, I’m a huge fan (read: crazy huge) of Escape from NY and LA (and all the graphic novels in between), but it does NOT need a remake. Please, just leave one damn good thing alone. I would prefer a delve into that world from a different character, or in a different story rather than a remake of the original.