Popular reviews

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  Review by David Sims ★★★ 10

  this is just what I assume LA is like

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  Review by Logan Kenny ★★★★★ 8

  you know what, i view movies with my heart and not my head, the intellectual analysis of my feelings comes afterwards, i probe my mind and allow my thoughts over why i feel such adoration or hatred or even apathy to a work of art. now my first instinct is to tell you that kurt russell plays post apocalyptic basketball to save his life while being poisoned by The President of the United States of America and that a crowd of leather clad extras chant Snake over and over again when he fucking nails that shot, and that this sequence isn't even close to my favourite part of the movie, that the pure emotions that ran through me were overwhelming…

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  Review by Willow Maclay ★★★★ 7

  Escape from L.A. is a little bit goofy, but that's the intended effect. There's a scene where Snake Plisskin commands a CGI submarine only narrowly avoiding a shark before crashing into Universal Studios. So that's the sort of thing we're dealing with here. That Carp refashions one of his legendary movies as a satire shows a man who isn't afraid to make himself look foolish. This isn't to say L.A. isn't without bite though, because Carpenter's cynicism and his exhaustion with Los Angeles movie types is in full display here. That's never more evident than Buscemi who'd sell you out at any point to move up the ladder. However, The greatest asset here is the honest look at America, and…

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  Review by comrade_yui ★★★★★ 8

  "John Carpenter later reflected in 2015:

  'Escape from L.A. is better than the first movie. Ten times better. It's got more to it. It's more mature. It's got a lot more to it. I think some people didn't like it because they felt it was a remake, not a sequel... I suppose it's the old question of whether you like Rio Bravo or El Dorado better? They're essentially the same movie. They both had their strengths and weaknesses. I don't know–you never know why a movie's going to make it or not. People didn't want to see Escape that time, but they really didn't want to see The Thing... You just wait. You've got to give me a little while. People will say, you know, what was wrong with me?'"

  he's right.

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  Review by Matt Singer ★★★ 3

  Mostly decent rehash sequel with a good sense of humor about itself and some of the worst CGI I have ever seen.

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  Review by matt lynch ★★★½ 1

  Largely an expensive rehash with way more jokes (aimed at some very soft targets -- plastic surgery! phony talent agents!) and a hot dose of fan service, all of which i am completely down for, despite the frequently dreadful CGI, the clearly backlot-y texture, and Russell's creepy hair extensions. Carpenter was never a subtle guy, either, which occasionally muzzles the bite on his dipshit libertarian streak. It's not entirely toothless, though: Cliff Robertson's "700 Club" President scans as significantly (and scarily) less absurd now than it did 17 years ago (yes, this is that old), and I particularly liked a throwaway line about Valeria Golino's character being deported for being "a Muslim in South Dakota."

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  Review by Justin Decloux ★★★★ 6

  "It's insane!"

  "It is. That's the point."

  John Carpenter is endlessly pestered to direct a sequel he never wanted to make, so when he finally agrees, he delivers a huge GREMLINS 2 style fuck-you that is stylistically removed from the original, but thematically consistent and updated to reflect the times of its creation: Excessive, anarchistic and campy. I read Kurt Russell say they both thought it was one of their best collaborations, but the rest of the world "didn't get it." I agree!

  "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

  If you don't think that Kurt Russel shooting baskets, surfing with Peter Fonda, and hangliding with Steve Buschemi and Pam Grier is fun. I can't do anything for you.

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  Review by Ian West ★★★★ 10

  Nowhere near as good as it’s predecessor, but who gives a shit?

  This L.A. prison wasteland jam is big, bold, equal parts dumb/clever, gand it’s full octane camp In the most 1996 way ever. Feels like NY but hyper stylized with L.A. excess steroids that pulse throughout this weirdo movie that features a gladiator basketball scene and hippie surfers riding quake waves. Kurt Russell rules, his hair rules, and the whole cast is kinda great (Stacy Keach!!). This is just as fun now as it was theatrically in 1996, and I miss the days when studios gave John Carpenter 50 million smackers to make a movie.

  I don’t care what anyone says... that ending is the purist Snake moment there is and No one can take that away, ever
             
  “Welcome to the human race”

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  Review by comrade_yui ★★★★★ 1

  EVERY MORNING I WAKE UP AND OPEN PALM SLAM A VHS INTO THE SLOT. IT’S ESCAPE FROM L.A. AND RIGHT THEN AND THERE I START DOING THE MOVES ALONGSIDE WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER, SNAKE PLISSKEN. I DO EVERY MOVE AND I DO EVERY MOVE HARD. MAKIN WHOOSHING SOUNDS WHEN I SLAM DOWN THE BASKETBALL OR EVEN WHEN I MESS UP TECHNIQUE. NOT MANY CAN SAY THEY ESCAPED NEW YORK, THE MOST DANGEROUS PRISON. I CAN. I SAY IT AND I SAY IT OUTLOUD EVERYDAY TO PEOPLE IN MY COLLEGE CLASS AND ALL THEY DO IS PROVE PEOPLE IN COLLEGE CLASS CAN STILL BE IMMATURE JEKRS. AND IVE LEARNED ALL THE LINES AND IVE LEARNED HOW TO MAKE MYSELF AND MY APARTMENT LESS LONELY BY SHOUTING "CALL ME SNAKE"

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  Review by Christian Di Leo ★★★½ 17

  A completely bonkers mad libs version of it's original predecessor. The barebones story template is the exact same but Carpenter, Hill and Russell pack a lot more wacky ideas into this one. Is it bad? Is it self-parody? Does it really matter? Nah, it really doesn't, because Escape From L.A. is big-budgeted, endlessly entertaining and just straight-up silly. Sure, it's a familiar trip but it's a gnarly one too. PLISSKEN, HE'S ON FIRE!!! FROM DOWNTOWN!!! BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!

  🌆🚆🚗🔫🏍👨‍⚕️🌊🏄🏄🏼🤙🏀🚁🔥📀

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  Review by WraithApe ★★★★ 18

  An act of heresy fit for a rendezvous with the electric chair to some, but I'm here to tell ya'll that I liked this thing as much as NY... *whisper it* maybe more! Sure, technically it's not as good a film, and recycles a lot of story beats to boot, but who cares when you're having this much fun? It's the one where they hitch a ride on a terrible CG tsunami, undergo gladiatorial trial by basketball and take to the air on bat-winged hang-gliders that look like something Logray and Wicket stitched together one starry night on Endor. It's cheesy as all get out but also kinda golden. I love Big Trouble unreservedly, but how come that slice of…

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  Review by Eric Szyszka ★★★★★ 7

  Wrongly disliked. Outstanding movie.

  Russell Rules!!