Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Escape from L.A. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 22, 2020

Make no mistake: 1981’s “Escape from New York” is an absolute classic. It’s one of the best pictures from the decade and one of many jewels in director John Carpenter’s crown, with the helmer putting in the work to turn a low-budget, western-tinged thriller into an insanely atmospheric triumph, overseeing star Kurt Russell’s most iconic screen performance. Nothing is going to threaten that success, which is why it’s a good idea to approach the 1996 sequel with a certain amount of understanding. “Escape from L.A.” is meant to be a thrill ride with an old friend, with Carpenter suddenly flush with cash to make a Snake Plissken adventure, trying to compete with blockbuster standards with a brand name that, for extended portions of the original film, remained in the shadows. The reward for such patience is a semi-remake that’s rich with anti-authoritarian attitude and big, loopy action, with Carpenter working out his weirdness while giving Russell another opportunity to project pure antihero ice as Snake.

As America is locked down by its moral madman President (Cliff Robertson), who’s turned Los Angeles into an island for the banished, trouble arises with his missing daughter, Utopia (A.J. Langer). Stealing a special black box for her secret lover, revolutionary Cuervo Jones (Georges Corraface), the teenager has absconded with a something the President wants back, willing to kill his own child to retrieve the stolen item. Brought in to enter L.A., find the box, and assassinate Jones is Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a career criminal who’s poisoned, armed, and sent into the unknown. Handed hours to complete his mission, Snake encounters a community of distorted and deranged people, marching his way to Jones as everyone seems out to get the new island arrival.

There’s the issue of repetition with “Escape from L.A.” Instead of taking Snake Plissken on a new adventure somewhere in the Carpenterverse, the production has elected to basically remake “Escape from New York.” For some, this is unforgivable, highlighting a certain level of laziness from the creative team, as the screenplay is credited to Carpenter, Russell, and co-producer Debra Hill. I get such discontent, but there’s a different engine under the movie’s hood, with the helmer suddenly allowed to go deeper into the original premise, handed a wad of cash to bring Snake back in style. “Escape from L.A.” tends to avoid recycling blues with its enthusiasm for the moment, turning its attention to the giant maze of Los Angeles and the satirical potential of such a city. Carpenter has come to play with the follow-up, and he’s not afraid to get strange with the material.

While Snake arrives in “Escape from L.A.” in the clothes we last saw him wear in the previous feature, the character is handed a flashy upgrade for his new mission, offered more high-tech weaponry and gadgets, turning him into a 007-type, albeit one more likely to shoot Q and M instead of respecting their leadership. The screenplay puts the character on a tour of hot spots, meeting warped locals, including the Surgeon General of Beverly Hills (Bruce Campbell), who runs a hospital for plastic surgery addicts, hoping to take Snake’s remaining eye. There’s Map to the Stars Eddie (Steve Buscemi), an opportunistic lowlife capable of bringing the frustrated hunter to his prey. And Snake gets a little help from Pipeline (Peter Fonda), a surfer who teaches the newcomer a few things about tsunami waves, with the screenplay bringing a distinctly Californian touch to the movie.

Touches of campiness are there, but Carpenter is mostly having fun with this world, dreaming up bizarre ways to test Snake’s patience for the assignment, including a wonderfully looney basketball challenge organized by Jones inside the L.A. Coliseum, tasked with scoring 10 points in 50 seconds or he’ll be executed. In other directorial hands, this sequence wouldn’t fly, but Carpenter commits in full, as does Russell, who returns to Snake’s sneer and thinly disguised disgust with humanity with aplomb, effortlessly restoring the character’s pure cinematic (and outlaw) presence. He’s a joy to watch, backed by a lively supporting cast, including Robertson, who plays the cowardly President with the perfect amount of Bible- clutching arrogance and spinelessness.

Escape from L.A. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Originally released on Blu-ray in 2010, "Escape from L.A." returns to disc with a new 4K scan "from the original camera negative," helping out the AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The earlier disc had severe brightness issues, and the new viewing experience aims to go darker, showing a little more respect for the original cinematography. As the movie takes place overnight, glory shots of brightly lit actors and locations aren't available, but delineation is largely preserved, maintaining the moody look of the feature with a few dim exceptions. Detail is appealingly refreshed, offering the endeavor more depth to explore and textures to enjoy (also doing a more specific job identifying CGI limitations), including Snake's stubbly, weathered face and distances around Los Angeles. Costuming surveys leathered wear on the main character (his old threads really shows off the years) and stiff, militaristic uniforms on others. Colors are stable, though they largely favor a darker palette. Some clothing punches through, including Cuervo and Eddie's red jackets, and Snake's blue eye is appealing. Skintones are natural. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in strong condition.

Escape from L.A. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides enjoyable power when dealing with the specifics of the feature. Scoring has real heft, from crisp Carpenter synth to more rock stretches with crunchy guitars and snappy percussion. Music delivers ideal support throughout. Dialogue exchanges are appealing, securing Snake's whispered presence and the more emphatic supporting cast of characters, with nothing reaching distortive extremes. Surrounds are active, offering excitable atmospherics as the action heads into giant stadiums and police zones. Panning effects are effective, with helicopter flybys and group activity opening up the track. Low-end has plenty of rumble, dealing with explosions and earthquakes. Sound effects show sonic heft, managing gunfire and glass-shattering property destruction.

Escape from L.A. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Beverly Hills Workshed" (9:10, HD) is an audio interview with the always entertaining Bruce Campbell, who was cast in "Escape from L.A." without meeting John Carpenter, hired due to his "Evil Dead" past. Portraying the Surgeon General of Beverly Hills, Campbell was tasked with becoming a "Michael Jackson character," spending five hours in the makeup chair with Rick Baker to perfect an overly enhanced monster. The interviewee assesses Carpenter's on-set demeanor, describing him as intensely focused, and discusses his time with "mellow" Kurt Russell, who requested an "Evil Dead 2" line reading ("Workshed!") to impress his son, Wyatt. Campbell describes the movie theater location in downtown L.A., and he shares his pleasure with the feature, asking Carpenter for a role in the next sequel at the premiere.

• "Part of the Family" (25:55, HD) sits down with Peter Jason, who's in a great mood to discuss parts of his extensive career. Early acting interests kick off the discussion, with Jason finding his way from sports to theater, eventually landing time on "The Red Skelton Show." Acquiring an agent in L.A., Jason was soon face-to-face with Howard Hawks, who offered a small part in "Rio Lobo" to the untested performer, effectively starting his career. Time with John Carpenter is explored on "Prince of Darkness," where Jason was tasked with creating his own character, and "Village of the Damned," where he voiced interest in becoming a producer, giving the director a chance to pile work on the thespian, giving him a taste of the life. Jason concludes with an "Escape from L.A." anecdote about his efforts to sneak Wyatt Russell, Kurt's son, into cameo role.

• "A Little Bit Offbeat" (7:55, HD) talks John Carpenter with actor Stacy Keach, who met the filmmaker through his wife, Sandy, in the 1970s. Carpenter and Keach eventually worked together on "Body Bags," triggering a job offer for "Escape from L.A." Memories of Carpenter and producer Debra Hill are shared, and love is offered to star Kurt Russell. Keach details his efforts to create his character, the challenges of making a sequel, and Carpenter's lasting legacy. He also offers an anecdote about his immobility during the shoot, with a crew member suggesting knee surgery to cure his pain.

• "Miss a Shot, You Get Shot" (14:37, HD) is a conversation with Georges Corraface, with the actor examining his early start as an international actor, traveling to different countries to be in films, which didn't help to build a career. Professional time with director Peter Brook is recalled, as his Corraface's casting in "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery," where the young performer was handed the lead role due to his ability to fit in Timothy Dalton's wardrobe, taking over for the departing star. "Escape from L.A." was a professional opportunity Corraface couldn't pass up, winning over Carpenter with a forceful audition. The interviewee explores the creation of his character and the legacy of the film, sensing audiences naturally gravitate to Snake Plissken's anti-authoritarian attitude.

• "One Eye is Better Than None" (17:58, HD) is a career overview with makeup artist James McPherson, who tracks his initial Rhode Island production achievements, including work on a Sunkist commercial. Moving to Los Angeles, McPherson studied Rick Baker and his achievements, trying to get his attention as an up-and-comer in the business. During the "Escape from L.A." shoot, McPherson observed Carpenter in motion, noting his use of multiple cameras to work faster, and he shares a lengthy story about confusion concerning a makeup assignment with the wrong information and limited amount of actors. The interviewee also offers his thoughts on the legacy of the movie.

• "The Renderman" (19:04, HD) is an interview with CG supervisor David Jones, who details his maturation during the early computer age, getting his first bite of technology with the Apple II computer. Working in the Michigan medical industry, Jones eventually moved to Los Angeles, cold calling companies while looking for work in the visual effects world. Time with Carpenter on "Escape from L.A." is recalled, but most interesting here is Jones "taking responsibility" for "subpar" visual effects, pointing out his youthful ambition on the surf sequence and the submarine journey. He admits the team took on more than they could handle, but he remains proud of the movie, sharing release memories and charting the growth of visual effects. He also has kind words for Russell, who was involved in post-production duties.

• Still Gallery (7:31) collects film stills, publicity shots, BTS snaps, special effects photos, poster art, lobby cards, and press kit pages.

• T.V. Spots (2:26, SD) include four commercials for "Escape from L.A."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:34, HD) is included. It's one of the best trailers of the 1990s.

Escape from L.A. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Escape from L.A." has noticeable shortcomings, including CGI that's never looked right, unable to sell the sleekness of armored vehicles, the bliss of chasing cars on a surfboard, or the exploration of a submerged Los Angeles. Carpenter can't get past some obvious visual blunders, but his directorial eye is otherwise sharp, creating a firelit hellscape for Snake to travel through, and scoring duties shared with Shirley Walker are exceptional, adding a rock presence to traditional synth offerings. The production has more creative successes to share during the run time, and Carpenter is interested in keeping the viewing experience at a full sprint, with Snake always stuck in some type of trouble. "Escape from L.A." has a strange reputation (some are downright hostile towards it), and it's not the caliber of "Escape from New York," but there's greatness in here for those willing to shed some expectations. Carpenter, Hill, and Russell are eager to deliver a propulsive, deliciously nihilistic continuation, and its often a great joy to watch them unleash a more expensive offering of Snake Plissken's survival challenges.