In New York, four criminals led by the smart Ryder hijack the subway train Pelham 123, stopping the first car with nineteen hostages in a higher plane in the tunnel in Manhattan. Ryder calls the subway control center and the operator Walter Garber talks to him. The abductor demands ten million dollar and gives one hour to the delivery by the City Hall. The Mayor accepts to pay the ransom while the NYPD negotiator Camonetti assumes the negotiation. However Ryder demands that Garber, who was demoted from an executive position due to the accusation of accepting kickback in the purchase business of Japanese trains, continues to be his liaison with the authorities. Within the tense hour, Ryder empathizes with Garber and asks him to bring the money to the train.

In this movie Denzel Washington wears a bright yellow shirt with a multicolored tie. This is the reverse of the outfit Walter Matthau wore in the original The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) which was a multicolored shirt with a bright yellow tie.

[from trailer]


Ryder:
Life is simple now. They just have to do what I say.

Continuity: In one shot, George is right in front of his laptop talking to his girlfriend. When the shot goes to the control station the TV is broadcasting the video and George is not in the view of the computer at all.

Written by Leslie West (as Leslie Weinstein), John Ventura, Norman Smart (as Norman Landsberg),
Felix Pappalardi, Billy Squier, Ice-T, Alphonso Henderson and George Clinton (as George Clinton,
, Jr.)
Performed by Jay-Z
Courtesy of Roc-A-Fella Records/The Island Def Jam Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Contains a sample of "Long Red"
Performed by Mountain
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment
Also contains a sample of "The Big Beat"
Performed by Billy Squier
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music