Sequels which follow their predecessors more than a decade after the fact are always interesting. Sometimes it works in the favor of the film’s legacy, but it’s rare. Far easier to make is a list of long delayed sequels that disgrace the name of the originals. Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Live Free or Die Hard, Terminator 3, The Godfather III, and so on. The list really goes on for quite a bit, but what’s interesting to note in that list is that the series in question are relatively high profile. In fact, much delayed sequels are even more common in the world of B-movies, and because of the genre it becomes even harder to determine whether or not the time between sequels helped or improved the final product. John Carpenter’s Escape from L.A. followed 15 years after Snake Plissken performed a similar Houdini feat and made his Escape from New York. 15 years.
A lot changes in 15 years. For one, audience expectations become a little higher. They expect film to progress somewhat in that time (not as much for B-movies, but some) and so a sequel so removed from its original must adapt to the new audience. Arguably Escape from L.A. does this. From the outset, you can tell the budget for Escape from L.A. has gotten a significant bump over the previous venture. There are a larger cast and some generous uses of CGI and a significant trick of the plot involves the use of projected holograms – a “look what I can do now” jest at its more primitive starting point.
Escape from L.A. and Escape from New York might not be terrific films, but they do have two of the best dystopian realities as their setting. For New York, the Big Apple had been transformed into a penal colony which Plissken had to fight his way through. The twist of Escape from L.A. is an envisioning of that perpetual fear/fantasy/impending reality wherein L.A. breaks off from the country and becomes the American version of old timey Australia. An island of sin, crime, and indulgence sought out by those who detest the new state of American politics or banished there by the very same dictatorial state. The history of this dystopian reality sees America passing a law giving the most recently elected, highly conservative Christian president a life-term in office, upon the receipt of which he begins passing new morality laws prohibiting all manner of sin (smoking, drinking, gallivanting, etc.). The story starts when the president’s daughter steals the remote control to the Sword of Damocles super weapon and takes it to the leader of a resistance group on L.A. Island. Snake is sent in to retrieve the remote and save the world. He meets all manner of lowlifes in the process and betrayals occur left and right.
Snake Plissken is the original modern badass. He set the bar back in 1981 but frankly he doesn’t quite meet the mark he set for himself in this sequel. They attempted to make everything bigger, flashier, and better, but in it all they lost a little piece of that core coolness that came from relying so heavily on Snake living by his wits in the harsh environs of dystopian New York. There’s still some badassery to be had here, but the spotlight is shared by Russell with the likes of Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Stacy Keach, Pam Grier, Bruce Campbell, Georges Corraface, and Cliff Robertson (a.k.a. Uncle Ben from Spider-man).
The outdated special effects show their age in the hi-definition Blu-ray transfer but it’s not really about that. It’s about whether or not you can let yourself indulge in ridiculous plot conventions. The movie is a sheer colossus of nonsensical science-fiction that takes pleasure in comically over the top violence and revels in the perceived badassery of Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken, whom you just can’t help but feel enjoys this role to no end.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
There’s just a trailer. Why isn't there more here? It's not like the cast isn't available. Make some new content.
"Escape from L.A." is on sale May 4, 2010 and is rated R. Action. Directed by John Carpenter. Written by John Carpenter and Nick Castle. Starring Bruce Campbell, Cliff Robertson, Kurt Russell, Stacy Keach, Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Georges Corraface.
