Escape From New York

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Escape From New York

R

1981

1h 39m

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

165 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

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Critics Consensus

It may not make the most of its ingenious dystopian premise, but Escape from New York remains a visually striking and thrilling sci-fi actioner, elevated by pitch-black humor and Kurt Russell's charismatically gruff Snake Plissken.

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Neal Justin

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Aug 10, 2026

2.5/5

Russell has a good time poking at at the gritty-cowboy image, and the idea of having New York serve as a huge holding cell is hilarious, but that's about as creative as "Escape" gets.

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David Robinson

The Times (UK)

Jun 22, 2026

This potentially interesting story is followed through with only the mechanical, high-coloured, two-dimensional style of comic strip

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Jeff Millar

Houston Chronicle

Jun 4, 2026

The dialogue is facetiously clench-jawed. The handling of the narrative prankishly thumbs its nose at logic and/or motivation. Russell reads his dialogue in a Clint Eastwood hiss. It's fun.

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Larry Ratliff

San Antonio Express-News

Aug 24, 2026

2.5/4

'Escape from New York' was little more than a warmed-over spaghetti Western, right down to the Clint Eastwood whisper. If anyone noticed, they didn't seem to care.

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James Calloway

News & Observer (Raleigh, NC)

Jun 4, 2026

Once you manage to swallow the preposterous premise for "Escape From New York," the idea has all kinds of possibilities, but the movie takes advantage of only a few of them.

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Ciaran Carty

Sunday Independent (Ireland)

Jun 4, 2026

The underlying appeal is the familiar man-alone-against impossible-odds theme.

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Jason

Feb 8, 2024

They don't make movies like these anymore. Thank you for bringing it back to the big screen.

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Joby

Feb 5, 2024

What a great way to see a classic Carpenter/Russell collaboration. I never saw it in the theater, but this limited released allowed me to take my son to see it on the big screen. Movie still hold up today. Amazing

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S. Thomas

Feb 5, 2024

Kurt Russell's most iconic role ever

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03Cobra

Feb 5, 2024

An all-time classic. Never gets old. Carpenter in his prime ('76-'94).

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nick S

@Nick_S Sep 14, 2026

Not too bad a production, but at the same time not too many memorable moments. Just trudged along.

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Eric E

@RT93550162 Sep 12, 2026

I don't have the nostalgia factor for this film as I missed it when I was younger. The sets and cinematography are appealing. The insipid and plodding storyline ruins it for me. It's a boring film. My son agreed. We should have watched Carpenter's "The Thing" again.

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John Carpenter

Director

Kurt Russell

Snake Plissken

Ernest Borgnine

Cabbie

Adrienne Barbeau

Maggie

Lee Van Cleef

Bob Hauk

Donald Pleasence

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45%

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Escape From New York: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken, a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Larry J. Franco, Debra Hill
Screenwriter: Nick Castle, John Carpenter
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: AVCO Embassy Pictures, Goldcrest Films International, International Film Investors
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1981, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Surround

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