Just saw this, was very disappointed :(

I saw the second movie about 20 years ago and remember thinking it was OK, but nothing special. I heard that the first movie was a lot better and just got around to seeing it. A few months ago I saw the cut bank robbery scene and thought "this scene was really good, if Carpenter cut that, the rest of the movie must be even better."

I saw this movie yesterday for the first time and was let down. I don't see how it's superior to the second film.

When I watched the movie I got the overall impression I was watching highlights from a TV miniseries. And I think the whole thing would have worked better as a miniseries than something crammed into 2 hours. It would have made developing the characters much easier which and this would have helped the film a lot.

What was bad about the film

1) The opening feels like a C movie that would get attacked on Mystery Science Theater. It says 1988, we get a few lines, then instantly it's the 90s. Was that really necessary? Why not just open in the 90s?

2) We see a scene where some prisoners on a raft are killed. I assume this was thrown in there so we know escape by water is not possible. It seems like this would have been handled better by a few lines. What's really remarkable is that this scene remains in the movie while Carpenter cut the bank robbery scene.

3) Why was the bank robbery scene removed? It was much better than the opening narration and the raft scene.

4) The idea that everyone in prison knows Snake by reputation and by sight was hard to believe.

5) "You're the best I've got." Really? No one else in the military knows how to fly a glider, beat up a few thugs and get captured?

6) The president's agent is not successful at breaking into the cockpit. The president suggests shooting the door lock, but the agent says this won't work because "she pressurized the cabin". Not only does this make no sense, but if shooting the door was pointless, what was banging on it with the rifle going to do? The cabin was still "pressurized", so if the door was forced open, the effect would have been the same as if the lock had been shot off.

7) The tracking device. For the life of me I cannot understand the point of a tracking device with a dead man's switch. Wouldn't this make it more difficult to track someone?

8) Why is there a bridge connecting the island to the rest of New York? The authorities don't need it since they have air access. The prisoners will be shot if they make it across. It seems like destroying the bridge would have made more sense and the whole "bridge crossing" scene feels artificial and thrown in for suspense. I just can't see why the bridge would be intact in the first place.

9) The special effects for the bridge chase were pathetic. And why didn't the Duke have a ton of people joining him in his chase?

10) Snake doesn't care about anyone and was ready to kill Maggie and Brain earlier, so why does he seem to care after they died? It does not seem consistent with his character. He just met these people and it is hard to imagine one bridge chase would make their lives important to him when 12 hours ago he was ready to shoot them both.

What was good about the film

1) Snake and Hauk interacting worked well, these were some of the best scenes.

2) President going crazy and shooting Duke was the best scene in the movie.

3) Snake pulling the old switcharoo at the end was great.

4) The action scenes were good, pity there weren't more.


On the whole I don't see how this film is superior the second one. Sure the surfing scene was stupid but it was no worse than the anti-climactic bridge chase.