Escape From New York

Play trailer

Escape From New York

R

1981

1h 39m

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

71 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Featuring an atmospherically grimy futuristic metropolis, Escape from New York is a strange, entertaining jumble of thrilling action and oddball weirdness.

Read Critics Reviews

Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

11/19/2018

1997 is the year in which the film's events are set, but far from being a bright, progressive future, it is a hyperbolic deterioration of 1981's here and now

Go to Full Review

Phil Hoad

Guardian

10/25/2018

4/5

The film plays its social satire broad but strings it along a rail of self-awareness.

Go to Full Review

Arthur Knight

The Hollywood Reporter

07/10/2017

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

Go to Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 7

The film suffers from its almost unrelieved gloom.

Go to Full Review

Alan Jones

Radio Times

09/13/2024

3/5

Despite a marvellous night-time opening sequence, this slice of escapism never really delivers on the ingenuity of its premise.

Go to Full Review

Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

08/05/2023

2.5/4

Not my favorite classic Carpenter film, it still offers a scrappy look into the director’s political edge.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Jason

02/08/2024

They don't make movies like these anymore. Thank you for bringing it back to the big screen.

See more

Joby

02/05/2024

What a great way to see a classic Carpenter/Russell collaboration. I never saw it in the theater, but this limited released allowed me to take my son to see it on the big screen. Movie still hold up today. Amazing

See more

S. Thomas

02/05/2024

Kurt Russell's most iconic role ever

See more

03Cobra

02/05/2024

An all-time classic. Never gets old. Carpenter in his prime ('76-'94).

See more

Smyles A.

@Smyles 1d

Amazing film. The concept is simple yet implemented perfectly. The acting is spot on and snake will always be one of my favorite characters in any film

See more

Romas M

@Romas Mar 5

Greetings from Lithuania. "Escape from New York" (1981) is a pure genre classic. I watched the movie when i was a kid quite often, and i really liked it. It features great acting by Kurt Russell, great directing by a legendary John Carpenter and stunning set design. Supporting actors are first rate character actors. Music is terrific throughout the film. The first half of the film that plays like a horror movie sorts of - very moody, dark and atmospheric. If the movie did aged by this time (2026) it's not because of the sets, that is for sure. The plot is simple yet effective. Overall, "Escape from New York" is a great flick from the 80's - its written all over it. I actually loved the second movie as well. They do not make heroes like Snake anymore.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

John Carpenter

Director

Kurt Russell

Snake Plissken

Ernest Borgnine

Cabbie

Adrienne Barbeau

Maggie

Lee Van Cleef

Bob Hauk

Donald Pleasence

President of the United States

John Carpenter's Escape From L.A.

57%

39%

John Carpenter's Escape From L.A.

Watchlist

Predator

63%

87%

Predator

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Predator

Predator 2

36%

44%

Predator 2

Watchlist

Tank Girl

46%

62%

Tank Girl

Watchlist

No Escape

59%

41%

No Escape

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank Kurt Russell’s 10 Best Movies

Gremlins, Tropic Thunder, Boogie Nights, and More Certified Fresh Films and TV on Netflix and Amazon Prime This Week

Neil Marshall’s 10 Post-Apocalyptic Picks

View more photos

Synopsis

In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a giant maximum security prison. When Air Force One is hijacked and crashes into the island, the president (Donald Pleasence) is taken hostage by a group of inmates. Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), a former Special Forces soldier turned criminal, is recruited to retrieve the president in exchange for his own freedom.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Larry J. Franco, Debra Hill
Screenwriter: Nick Castle, John Carpenter
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Embassy Pictures, AVCO Embassy Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: AVCO Embassy Pictures, Goldcrest Films International, International Film Investors
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1981, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now