Do you want to see ‘Escape from L.A.’?

Escape from L.A. (1996)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Reviews Counted: 47
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 22

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 5.8/10
Critic Reviews: 15
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 7

No consensus yet.

audience

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Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 62,013

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Movie Info

Escape from L.A. finds Kurt Russell once again in the role of Snake, which he played in the 1981 film, Escape from New York. Los Angeles has finally had the really big earthquake everyone was afraid of, and what remains is now an island. Because the country's ultra-righteous President-for-Life (Cliff Roberton) wants it that way, all the weirdos and freaks that previously inhabited New York in large numbers, and the rest of the U.S. in smaller concentrations, have been quarantined on the island

R, 1 hr. 41 min.

Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: John Carpenter

In Theaters: Aug 9, 1996 Wide

On DVD: Dec 15, 1998

Paramount Pictures

Escape from L.A. Trailer & Photos

Cast

Kurt Russell
Snake Plissken
Stacy Keach
Malloy
Steve Buscemi
Map to the Stars Eddie
Peter Fonda
Pipeline
Cliff Robertson
President
Georges Corraface
Cuervo Jones
Jordan Baker
Police Anchor
Paul Bartel
Congressman
Bruce Campbell
Surgeon General of Beve...
Robert Carradine
Skinhead
Michelle Forbes
Brazen
Valeria Golino
Taslima
Pam Grier
Hershe
Peter Jason
Duty Sergeant
AJ Langer
Utopia
Jeff Imada
Saigon Shadow
Caroleen Feeney
Woman on Freeway
Leland Orser
Test Tube

Critic Reviews for Escape from L.A.

All Critics (49) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (23) | DVD (12)

Enjoyable in a playful way

October 24, 2002 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

The special effects vary from OK to lame to very lame.

July 5, 2002 Comment

Jeff Millar

Houston Chronicle

Top Critic

Dark, percussive and perversely fun.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Peter Stack

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

Escape from L.A. is too preposterous to be a good film. But in keeping with its title, it does provide a couple of hours of entertaining escapism.

April 12, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail

| Comment

Christopher Harris

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

Buscemi, Fonda, Robertson, Grier and many others get to make vivid impressions, but of course it's Russell who must carry this swiftly paced picture. As rugged as ever and attractively weathered, he does so with ease.

February 14, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times

| Comment

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

A poetic pulp movie made with joy.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Violent, semi-spoofy action sequel is too dark for kids.

December 14, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

...the movie has little to offer beyond the thrill of seeing Snake Plissken back in action. It isn't enough. (Blu-ray Edition)

May 3, 2010 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

...for all its commotion, the movie never catches fire.

May 3, 2010 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Sequel is fun but doesn't break any new ground.

December 11, 2009 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

S. Jhoanna Robledo

Common Sense Media

Escape from L.A. finds Carpenter in a playful mood.

July 30, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

In a summer filled with giant duds like Independence Day or The Rock or Chain Reaction, this is the best testosterone action flick of the season.

June 23, 2007 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

A dreadful belated sequel to the entertaining Escape From New York. Perfectly epitomizes how Carpenter's skills have eroded since his late '70s, early '80s heyday.

January 23, 2006 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Diverting for the 100 minutes it runs, but once they're up, it is instantly forgettable.

December 11, 2004 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com

| Comment

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

A deliciously campy send-up of everything we love to hate about the Left Coast and the entertainment biz.

May 3, 2004 Full Review Source: Low IQ Canadian

| Comment

Martin Scribbs

Low IQ Canadian Source: Low IQ Canadian

Sequels have reached an all-time low

July 11, 2003 Comment

Clint Morris

Film Threat

Self-conscious sequel is a wipe-out.

July 6, 2003 Comment

Gerry Shamray

Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

I don't think most people gave ESCAPE FROM L.A. enough credit when it first came out ... Every bit as cheesy as I remember - but also a lot more fun!

April 16, 2003 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Brian Mckay

eFilmCritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Escape from L.A.

View All

Ok, so this isn't quite the pile of manure people would have you believe it to be. But on the other hand, it's not a very good movie, either. Just based on the comparisons to the original, it's very much laughable at some points. I think a lot of the CGI doesn't really fit in either. I think they were attempting to

March 25, 2007

Tim Salmons

Super Reviewer

The unnecessary and atrocious "Escape from L.A." has all the qualities of what makes a sequel bad with its forced, recycled plots and misguided action sequences. The charm Kurt Russell brings to Snake Plisskin is not enough to carry a film saddled with such unoriginal material. Fans of "Escape from New York" (as I

June 18, 2011

Tony Gandia

Super Reviewer

Escape from L.A. Quotes

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1. Snake Plissken: Call me Snake.
– Submitted by Geoff T (45 days ago)
1. Cuervo Jones: You might have survived Cleveland. You might have escaped from New York. But this is L.A., vato. And you're about to find out that this fucking city can kill anybody!
– Submitted by Joel L (6 months ago)
1. Malloy: For God sakes, don't do it, Snake!
2. Snake Plissken: The name's Plissken. [pushes the button]
– Submitted by Joel L (6 months ago)
1. President: What's it going to be, Plissken? Them or us?
2. Snake Plissken: I shut down the third world, you win they lose. I shut down America, they win, you lose. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
– Submitted by Joel L (6 months ago)
1. Snake Plissken: Sad story. You got a smoke?
– Submitted by Joel L (6 months ago)

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Latest News for Escape from L.A.

March 23, 2007:

Kurt Russell Chimes in On the "Escape from New York" Remake
You know how Gerard Butler was just asked to star in a remake of "Escape from New York"?...