Escape from New York

Carpenter re-imagines the spaghetti western a science-fiction adventure set in a dystopian near-future where soaring crime leads to Manhattan being converting into a giant maximum security prison.

When Air Force One is hijacked and downed behind the prison walls, former soldier and newly convicted bank robber Russell is given 24 hours to rescue the President or die trying.

Carpenter sees little difference between the criminals inside the prison and the government officials outside it, and it’s this underlying sense of moral outrage gives the film its resonance. While it may not be as entertaining as its source material, Carpenter gets a lot of milage out of his limited budget and colorful supporting cast, and Russell does a great job channelling Eastwood.