Escape from New York

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 (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

Critic Reviews:

• " The film plays its social satire broad but strings it along a rail of self-awareness. " – **

Phil Hoad**

• " It has got an intriguing premise, an effective cast, and it has been expertly mounted. " – **

Arthur Knight**

• " The movie proudly wears its affection for crusty Sergio Leone archetypes and countdown-clock suspense sequences; Carpenter was Tarantino long before Tarantino was. " – Joshua Rothkopf