Money Train

General		Extras
Category	Action	Theatrical Trailer(s)	No
Rating		Other Trailer(s)	1
Running Time	106 minutes	Commentary Tracks	None
RSDL/Flipper	No/No	Other Extras	None
Region	4
Distributor	Columbia Tristar
RRP	$34.95

    At this point, the obligatory female love interest character is introduced - Grace Santiago (Jennifer Lopez). She does have two names, unlike the males in this film. She is a transit policewoman who is assigned to John and Charlie's team (why?). Predictably, a Love Triangle^TM develops, with both John and Charlie interested in Grace.

    Next, another subplot is introduced, which involves a very unsavoury character who likes to go up to the women who work in the subway toll booths, splash them with petrol and set them alight. This character exists solely for the purpose of generating two action-filled chase sequences (which are quite entertaining by the way).

    Next, we find ourselves on the Money Train with John, Charlie and Grace getting into a fight with the police guarding the train. This sequence exists to show us that the Money Traincould be robbed fairly easily. We then cut to John and Charlie discussing how to rob the train. This sequence rounds off with John and Grace dancing together; Grace clearly fancies John over Charlie.

    Mixed up in all of this muddle is a gambling debt for $15,000 that Charlie has incurred. He is pursued for this with increasing vigour. John gives the money to Charlie, but a little old lady robs Charlie of the money whilst he is on the way to pay it back. This leads to Charlie being told that his brother would be killed if John did not pay the money owed. John learns of this by telepathy and goes and beats up the hoodlum in a badly choreographed Fight Sequence^TM.

    Charlie by now is very depressed, and comes over to John's place to talk to him. Unfortunately, in a case of very Bad Timing^TM, Grace is in bed with John at the time Charlie chooses to visit. Charlie becomes even more depressed, and so he heads off to rob the Money Train.

    The remainder of the movie comprises the Final Climactic Action Sequence^TM, involving a runaway Money Train. There are some enormous plot holes during this sequence, such as;

• Why can't the Money Train driver see Charlie lying on the train tracks immediately ahead of him?
• Why do all of the guards get off the train leaving only the driver on board when they collect the money from the train station - the train we are told has $3 - $4 million dollars on it at this stage?
• Why couldn't they just cut the power to the train to stop it?

    Finally, the movie ends, and not to disappoint us, it serves up another two Hollywood clichés in quick succession - the Bad Guy Gets His Just Deserts Scene^TM, where Patterson is punched out by both John and Charlie and then arrested by Grace, and the Unexpected Plot Twist Right At The End^TM, where it is revealed that Charlie has kept some of the money from the train, so he can repay his debt and live Happily Ever After^TM.

Video

Audio

    Dialogue was almost always clear and intelligible, except for a very few scenes where music made it just a little bit difficult to clearly hear the dialogue. The surrounds were used extensively during the action sequences, with an enveloping and convincing soundfield being created during these sequences. The surrounds were also used to create atmospherics during parts of the rest of the movie, and to spread the music around the listener at times. Split surrounds were used with reasonable effect during this movie. There were numerous occasions, however, when the only audio was coming from the centre speaker.

    The video transfer is superb, like pretty much all Columbia Tristar releases, and the audio, especially in the action sequences, creates a convincing soundfield which draws you into the otherwise fairly mediocre scenes.

Video
Audio
Extras	nil
Plot
Overall

Michael Demtschyna
14th September 1998