Escape from New York

“It's a toughly told, very tall tale, one of the best escape (and escapist) movies of the season.”

Vincent Canby, The New York Times · 100

“The pleasures are right in your face, beginning with the million-dollar idea of turning NYC into a walled-off prison where criminals run free. Even born-and-raised New Yorkers (of which Carpenter was decidedly not) could smile at that histrionic setup; it’s an outsider’s joke made funny by our willingness to be entertained.”

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out · 100

“It has got an intriguing premise, an effective cast, and it has been expertly mounted.”

Arthur Knight, The Hollywood Reporter · 90

“Boasting one of the most iconic characters ever in Plissken, and an effective sci-fi set-up, this is entertainment of the highest order.”

Ian Freer, Empire · 80

“Carpenter's grittily convincing New York-in-decay remains the film's best element. Never particularly suspenseful and hampered by a finale that almost literally steers the plot toward a dead end, Escape only intermittently finds Carpenter flexing his directorial muscles. But it may be his most visionary film: Escape allowed him to build a future out of scraps from the past.”

Keith Phipps, The A.V. Club · 80