Escape From L.A. - 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

This film succeeds in one thing only.You do not have to see "Escape from NY "to get it.Sadly however if you did see "Escape from NY "you'll hate this film.Thus only 2 1/2 stars,a 50/50 film at best.I won't discuss the other film as I have already reviewed it before and you can read that.However this film while it is really wholly contained it pales to the other.Not only is it a 90% rehash but it has some serious flaws not seen in the other classic.First the FX is very weak.The surfing scene is laughable and I don't mean just the acting.Second,the acting.Silly and cheeky by almost everyone BUT Mr.Russell who is more weathered and believable as Snake in this film.The hard times shows on his face this time,its not just a "pretty boy"with a 5 day stubble.Third the idea that LA can be run down and be breaking down society wise as a deportation destination is contradicted by the overt beauty and sexiness of the women in the sort of "Sodom and Gomorrah"its become.You can't have that sort  of griminess  and glitz together. I just don't buy that.Finally the stories plot about a fascist right wing fanatic state is not as entertaining as the desperation of the perpetuate warring state the  NY film is about. Both are not believable,or are they????Iraq,Afghanistan,maybe Iran,Pakistan,Yemen,The Sudan,Syria,Libya..Contrasted with the Tea party,gay marriage,smoking,red meat sex without marriage and God speaking to the president. Hummmmmm. Released in 1996 it runs 101 minutes.I only reviewed it because as a sequel it meets the rule of "stand alone". But as a "Stand alone"it sometimes falls on its own face.See it once for it is entertaining for cliche's alone,but only once.Trailer URL follows the pix.IMDB summary below.

The year is 2013 and Snake Plissken is back but this time it's L.A., which through the agency of earthquakes has become an island of the damned. But something has gone wrong in this new moral order, because the President's daughter has absconded to L.A. with a detonation device, and Snake is commandeered to retrieve it. But just below the surface there is a coiled Snake ready to strike. Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com} 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drOdRwD1JF0