Money Train (1995) Reviews

• Snipes and Harrelson Redux.

  nycritic2005-06-12

  Popcorn is the word that most describes this action-comedy movie from Joseph Reuben, the man who directed other standard fare like SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, TRUE BELIEVER, THE STEPFATHER, DREAMSCAPE, and most recently, a notorious bomb called THE FORGOTTEN. So let's see how I can dive into this pool without hitting a hard surface. This is a "buddy-movie" in which two uber-American guys of very different temperaments and backgrounds share a bond that goes beyond anything they might go through. One of the two is by default a loose cannon and drives the plot with his antics. There may be some tension when a corrupt high official threatens the loose cannon. Add a sexy new co-worker into the mix (which becomes the focus of their intense, male attraction) and basically you have a story that has been of late the norm in the Hollywood popcorn machine. Now, trying to cash in (I believe, I could be wrong) on their previous outing WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP, Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes play not buddies from the 'hood but foster 'brothas' (if we can believe this baby) who are closer than a cuticle is to a finger even though Snipes has to act as older brother to a rebellious and unpredictable Harrelson: and on that note, neither is miscast. Snipes does convey steel while Harrelson gives off his just-under-the-surface danger, especially when he grins at smarmy boss Robert Blake in one subway scene. Pitching in for the Latina female is Jennifer Lopez who, without being as angry and nasal and in-your-face as Rosie Perez, actually manages to be engaging though this is early in her career, before she decided to punch out and play her (bland) self once she became the trademark known as J. Lo. She all but steals her own pat scenes, especially in one tense exchange she has with Chris Cooper playing a not-so-nice fellow who pushes people onto subway platforms, a reality among New York strap-hangers. But trying to over-analyze this film in terms of shots and composition and visual technicality would be like trying to compare one grain of popcorn to the next: there would be no difference, no relevance in taste, texture, and all that is left to do is munch down. That the action scenes on the subway platforms (for anyone who is actually acquainted with riding the subways in New York City) are as implausible as ever and only convey the type of hyper-masculinized action that makes superheroes of its actors, but who really cares? It's fluff, entertaining, mindless, inane, and that's just what people going to see this type of film expect.

• What's with all the bad reviews?

  stevewest-12002-03-17

  Reading the reviews below this seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of film. Regardless of whether you 'get' the story and the rapport between Harrelson and Snipes, you can't overlook that this is a well made film. I've only seen it twice, once when it first came out on video, and again in the past week. I didn't think it was that remarkable when it first came out, but when I watched it the second time around, I found it highly entertaining and well executed. Granted, it's not the best film ever but I don't think it's deserving of a lot of the bad reviews given here. As a film it succeeds, and if you've never seen it before, it's worth checking out.

• Quality cast make the most of a plot that is beneath them

  bh_tafe32014-06-27

  Action is an interesting film genre. You go in expecting little and are pleasantly surprised if you get more. Films like Face/Off, Die Hard, Speed, Under Siege, while formulaic, were all able to offer the viewer more than they expected going in and so have become beloved classics of the genre. The Money Train tries to be more than a lot of the action films that came out and simply disappeared in the early 90s, but falls a little short. While the film certainly isn't bad, it isn't considered a classic of the genre, and, while not a financial failure, relatively few people saw it and even fewer remember it. The film reunites the stars of White Men Can't Jump, Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as a pair of law enforcement officers John (Snipes) and Charlie (Harrelson) who basically decide to steal from their boss (Robert Blake) who is a real piece of work. John has a hot girlfriend Grace (a pre Selena Jennifer Lopez) and Charlie has a gambling problem. Sound familiar? There are some funny moments and the dramatic scenes between Snipes and Harrelson are excellent. But aside from these, there really aren't any memorable moments. While the pairing of Snipes and Harrelson isn't tired, it doesn't have the same impact it had on their previous outing. Blake is menacing and odious but his character is not a believable or effective villain. Chris Cooper, who has a smaller role in this as Torch, would have been a better antagonist. Money Train is OK and a reasonably entertaining way to spend a couple of hours, but it is also a missed opportunity. Snipes, Lopez, Harrelson and Blake try hard, but the finished product is less than the sum of its parts, and that's possibly the most frustrating thing of all.

• That's what we live with!

  Mr Parker2002-08-21

  Personally speaking, I don't quite know what to make of this picture. I saw it again on late night cable the other night and I was laughing hysterically throughout. Wesley and Woody play two brothers (!) who work as transit cops. Woody's a gambling junkie with a huge debt on his back while Wesley plays the straight man who's getting a little tired of constantly having to bail his brother out. Desperate, Woody plans to hijack the Money Train that rides along to each station, collecting the night's collections. Folks, believe me when I tell you that it actually gets more ridiculous. Add to the mix a pyromaniac token booth bandit, a pre-lobotomy Jennifer Lopez, Robert Blake in a performance so hammy that you can almost smell the bacon coming from your tv, action sequences that are unabashedly ridiculous and you have yourself... Money Train. My favorite moment comes when Robert Blake, after having been informed of the possibility of civilian casualties if the hijacked Money Train continues to speed ahead on the local line, responds with the now-classic line, "That's what we live with." I was laughing so hard that tears were squirting out of my eyes. This movie is utterly ridiculous yet strangely riveting. Wesley Snipes plays his usual cocky, confident self and it seems to me that he won't accept a role these days unless he gets to kick someone in the face. Woody Harrelson looks like he smoked one too many blunts in this one. I actually prefer his character here over Wesley's and that's not saying much. Jennifer Lopez looks damn good but I can't help but think how stupid she is in real life. I really don't know where else to go with this review other than to recommend watching it. You might like it but not because it's quality stuff but because it'll cheer you up, it's so bad. Actual rating ** out of ***** but on the laugh-o-meter I'll give it a full **** out of *****.

• Well, not really very good, but watchable

  jmorrison-22005-07-18

  Not really a very good movie. Much of the plot is unbelievable and implausible. However, I do find that I enjoy watching this from time to time. I seem to enjoy just about anything with Wesley Snipes. I believe he is very underrated. His easygoing, but dedicated cop in this works for me. He works hard, is smart, and seems to be someone you can rely on. He cares deeply for the "brother" who grew up in his house, but he is frustrated in constantly having to bail him out of trouble. I suppose Woody Harrelson's character is probably the worst thing about this for me. His character is seriously annoying, and it would be hard to believe him surviving as a police officer, with all his personal problems. It's okay to suspend disbelief, but a movie like this should at least have an air of plausibility. Robert Blake's subway manager is quite a bit over-the-top, but provides a real antagonism for the buddy/brother cops, and establishes himself as the real villain for the plot. The plan, and the execution of the robbery, (and Snipes character going along with something like this), REALLY stretches plausibility, but there is an easy camaraderie between the 2 actors, and the action is good. It ain't all that good, but it isn't unwatchable.