Of course, cliches abound in the film - we have a black man who is willing to sacrifice his life for a complete stranger, a boss who is unhappy with Washington being given the charge of the hostage situation, a mayor who is hardly respected by the city of New York and a wife who is too happy and proud to be seeing her husband being in charge.

Still, all of that is pretty much accepted in the film since Scott keeps the narrative taut for at least the first 60 minutes of the film. But after that it becomes a little too predictable.

This too could have been accepted had the climax been better spun. However, it turns out to be all too simple in the end with the final moments turning out to be a tad disappointing.

Now if only Hollywood movies too had an interval point, the best way to review 'The Taking of Pelham 123' would have been - the first half of the film was excellent though things became a little too predictable at the beginning of the second half. The climax was a disappointment due to which the second half didn't impress as much as the first half.

'The Taking of Pelham 123' is one action thriller that could have been far better had it reached a better culmination.