Robert Shaw leads a group of stooges in the violent hijacking of a New York subway train; Walter Matthau is the acerbic transit police officer who assigns himself to the case. Nearly-perfect urban thriller adapted by the ingenious Peter Stone from John Godey's book. The atmosphere is charged with tension; one can almost taste the grit in the air and sense the palpable dread, though the film isn't quite the downer its beige-and-gray production makes it appear to be. Screenwriter Stone displays his darkly comedic sense of humor in several instances, leading to a fabulous conclusion. Curiously, some professionals critics were put off by the film, yet the suspense is sustained remarkably by director Joseph Sargent, and Matthau is priceless. *** from ****
