Tony Scott directs this remake of the original Palomar Production/Walter Matthau-starring thriller from 1974 with this Columbia Pictures production that pits Denzel Washington and John Turtorro against a group of hijackers, lead by John Travolta, who take over a subway train in order to rake in a hefty ransom. David Koepp (War of the Worlds) is adapting the book by author John Godey.

This version of The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 splits the Walther Matthau character of Walter Garber into two persons (Denzel Washington as MTA Dispatcher Walter Garber, and John Tutorro as NYPD Hostage Negotiator Detective Camonetti), both of whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train that is in Garbers charge. John Turtorro plays the chief Hostage Negotiator who finds he is a fish out of water without Garber.

John Travolta co-stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, including a subway-knowledgeable henchman, (played by Luis Guzman), threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages.

Camonetti starts the movie taking charge of the situation, suspecting Garbers complicity, but realizes his mistake when his actions cause the death of a hostage. Realizing that only Garber can solve the problem, he spends the rest of the movie making Garbers job easier by becoming the Liaison between his SWAT Team and Garber. In the end, it is Garber who solves the riddle of how the criminals intend to get away with the money.