Escape From L.A.

Play trailer

Escape From L.A.

R

1996

1h 41m

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

45%

Tomatometer

155 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 2013, the United States president was exiling all citizens who don't conform to his hyper-conservative views to Los Angeles, which became an island after a huge earthquake. But, when the president's daughter nabs the detonator to her dad's apocalyptic weapon and sneaks into L.A. to be with the rebel leader she loves, the government taps commando-turned-crook Snake Plissken to retrieve the young woman. And, if he doesn't succeed quickly, he'll be executed.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Escape from L.A. strains to recapture the anarchic energy of its predecessor, squandering Kurt Russell's enduring charisma with cartoonish excess and a disappointingly rehashed narrative.

Read Critics Reviews

Kevin Jackson

Independent (UK)

Aug 4

LA has so few new treats that for the most part it leaves you brooding on the lost of inspiration that can plague those who burned most brightly in youth.

Go to Full Review

Duane Byrge

The Hollywood Reporter

Aug 4

Under Carpenter's uninspired directorial hand, the film's visualization of post-catastrophe decadence is amazingly mundane.

Go to Full Review

Milford Reid

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Aug 4

4/5

It's taken 15 years, but Snake Plissken, one of filmdom's best antiheroes of all time, finally returns in the explosive, trashy, violent and just plain fun "Escape from L.A."

Go to Full Review

Larry Ratliff

San Antonio Express-News

3h

2.5/4

"Escape From L.A." is more like "Escape From New York-West" than anything truly original. But it's fun to see Snake slither back out from under his rock after 15 years of hibernation.

Go to Full Review

Michael D. Reid

Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada)

Aug 4

2/5

Bursts of occasionally clever tongue-in-cheek humor and a dazzling production design aren't enough to redeem John Carpenter's noisy, incoherent and patience-trying sequel to his 1981 hit Escape from New York.

Go to Full Review

Holly McClure

Orange County Register

Aug 4

D

The script is lousy, the dialogue limited and the plot is so thin, everyone escapes.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Andrew A.

@rt_andrew May 3

If the first Escape was a weird dive bar, this one is a sleazy strip club

See more

Hailee G.

@MetalSiren95 May 2

The only redeems quality is Kurt Russel, I have to force myself to ignore the CGI surfing scene

See more

John C.

@RT18968112 Apr 1

Say What you will, I'm a fan of both Carpenter and Russell having fun. 5 Stars 🤩. Snake is Back!

See more

Smyles A.

@Smyles Mar 24

This one was pretty cool. Took on a completely different vibe than the new York one... Left me wanting a 3rd movie

See more

Jason H

@RT50328122 Feb 16

It's fun to see Kurt Russell as Snake again, but this sequel just regurgitates the original. Some of the special effects are laughable.

See more

Jack F

@MovieFan111 Nov 28

It might follow the same template as its predecessor, but it's all still awesome!!!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

John Carpenter

Director

Kurt Russell

Snake Plissken

Stacy Keach

Cmdr. Malloy

Steve Buscemi

Map to the Stars Eddie

Cliff Robertson

President

Peter Fonda

Pipeline

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Basketball to the Death

2:12

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Surfboard Car Chase

2:12

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Hang Glider Assault

2:13

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Shutting Down the Earth

2:13

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - The Surgeon General

2:13

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Helicopter Explosion

2:12

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Fun Gun Injection

1:28

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Bangkok Rules

2:13

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Shot and Sheared

2:11

Now Playing

Escape From L.A.: Official Clip - Torpedo Sub to L.A.

2:10

Now Playing

View more videos

Tank Girl

46%

62%

Tank Girl

Watchlist

Escape From New York

70%

77%

Escape From New York

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Escape From New York

Predator 2

36%

44%

Predator 2

Watchlist

No Escape

59%

41%

No Escape

Watchlist

Predator

65%

87%

Predator

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Predator

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Kurt Russell Chimes in On the "Escape from New York" Remake

"Ocean," "Dead," and "1408" Enlist New Cast Members

Snake Plissken to "Escape from Earth"?

View more photos

Synopsis

In 2013, the United States president was exiling all citizens who don't conform to his hyper-conservative views to Los Angeles, which became an island after a huge earthquake. But, when the president's daughter nabs the detonator to her dad's apocalyptic weapon and sneaks into L.A. to be with the rebel leader she loves, the government taps commando-turned-crook Snake Plissken to retrieve the young woman. And, if he doesn't succeed quickly, he'll be executed.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Debra Hill, Kurt Russell
Screenwriter: John Carpenter, Debra Hill, Kurt Russell
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures International, Rysher Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.5M
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings