Like many of its successors, which have a tendency all too easily to devolve into dehumanized rollercoaster rides, Pelham One Two Three is more concerned with plot mechanics and tension-ratcheting, as opposed, say, to Lumet’s focus on the matrix of character psychology and social conditions.
— Budd Wilkins (Slant Magazine)
Synopsis: In New York, armed men hijack a subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. Even if it's paid, how could they get away?