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"A good Catholic knows no one is innocent," Ryder replies.

Also threading through the story is the question of wrongdoing—because as the day wears on, it's clear that nobody involved in this experience is free of guilt. Can something—fate or God or chance—direct us? Are the choices we make each day a result of some karmic scale-balancing, or is there some other force at work?

Things get a bit dicey on the train

It does teeter a little bit on heavy-handed moralizing in some spots, but in the end, Pelham presents an ultimately hopeful view of human nature—and a view that is consistent with Christian theology. Men and women are inclined toward wrongdoing, toward taking the easy way toward pleasure, power, and wealth. But God's grace keeps the world together, and enables civil servants—even those who are not always paragons of morality—to do justice and love mercy.

As they fly in a helicopter over the gold-bathed Manhattan skyline at sunset, the hostage negotiator leans over to Garber and remarks that its beauty reminds him what he's fighting to preserve. Ultimately, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 reminds us that human life is precious and worth preserving—and all in a smart summer blockbuster.

Talk About It

1. Ryder tells the train's conductor that the reason she was put on this earth was to take care of the people on the train. Later, he asks Garber, "You don't think this is fate?" What do you think? How much of our lives are governed by chance occurrences? How much is governed by fate—or God's sovereignty?
   
   
2. What do you think about Ryder's assertion that "we all owe God one death?" What about Garber's reply? What does God expect of us?
   
   
3. How has technology increased our ability to communicate with one another—like the boy with his laptop, or the conversations that Garber and Ryder have over the radio? What deficiencies do technologically mediated conversations entail? What good can technology bring to difficult situations?
   
   

The Family Corner

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is rated R for violence and pervasive language. The violence is graphic at times—gunshots and blood. A teenage girl briefly starts to remove her top (bra underneath) for her boyfriend over a webcam. The pervasive bad language includes lots of f-bombs. There's discussion of a woman who models jeans and other posterior shots.

Photos © Columbia Pictures

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