ONE of the more tasty movies coming our way this summer looks set to be Tony Scott’s remake of The Taking of Pelham 123, starring John Travolta and Denzel Washington.

Based loosely on the acclaimed ’70s thriller starring Walther Matthau and Robert Shaw, and hailed by Quentin Tarantino as one of his favourite heist movies, the film follows a team of ingenious criminals – led by Travolta’s no-nonsense heavy – as they hijack a subway train and demand a huge ransom.

Enter Zachary ‘Z’ Garber (Washington), chief detective for security on the subway, who provides the fly in the ointment to Travolta’s plan.

Pelham 123 marks the latest reunion between Tony Scott and Denzel Washington following past successes with the likes of Man On Fire and Deja Vu. It also co-stars ex-Sopranos man James Gandolfini, as well as John Turturro and Luis Guzman.

Screenwriter David Koepp is confident that the latest update of the story (it has already been remade into a TV movie with Edward James Olmos) can make the most of its post-9/11 New York setting, as well as the advances in technology (including mobile communication and tracking systems).

There are some nods to the original, however. Washington has piled on a few pounds to pay visual tribute to Matthau’s look and the grit of the original will be maintained.

Koepp has also admitted to Empire magazine that several drafts existed before he and Scott settled on the version that went before the cameras in New York in the spring of 2008. But early photos from the film suggests good things… and we can’t wait to find out whether it lives up to the expectations placed upon it by both the original and Scott’s own past track record of success with leading man of choice, Washington.

The Taking of Pelham 123 is currently due to open in UK cinemas on August 7.

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