Escape from L.A.
A cynical outlaw navigates earthquake-shattered Los Angeles to recover a world-destroying device from an anarchic island prison.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- campy
- anarchic
- darkly comic
- cult movie night
- 90s action marathon
What critics said
Critics found energetic camp, dark humor, and inventive ideas in the sequel, but broadly considered it choppy, hackneyed, and less coherent than its predecessor.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Snake Plissken accepts the retrieval mission while remaining openly distrustful of the President and the political order.
Los Angeles is transformed into an island prison where authoritarian power and lawless spectacle coexist.
The film combines ultraviolent action, bizarre set pieces, anarchic humor, and overtly cartoonish performances.
Earthquake-damaged Los Angeles is isolated from the mainland and populated by competing factions and outcasts.
Films like Escape from L.A., and why
Escape from New York
Shares post-apocalyptic dystopia, antihero action, prison-island peril, and dark satirical energy.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Shares anarchic dystopian world-building, lone antihero momentum, stylized violence, and survivalist action.
Demolition Man
Shares campy post-apocalyptic spectacle, authoritarian satire, and cartoonish action-adventure excess.
They Live
Shares dystopian urban isolation, confrontational antiheroics, and high-concept science fiction action.
Movie Details
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Release Date
- 1996-08-09
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (1679)
Cast
- Kurt Russell
- Stacy Keach
- Steve Buscemi
- A. J. Langer
- Cliff Robertson
- Bruce Campbell
- Pam Grier
- Peter Fonda
- Georges Corraface
- Robert Carradine
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Escape from L.A. about?
- A cynical outlaw navigates earthquake-shattered Los Angeles to recover a world-destroying device from an anarchic island prison.
- What is Escape from L.A. like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Escape from L.A. as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Escape from L.A. violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Escape from L.A. as graphic.
- What did critics think of Escape from L.A.?
- Critics found energetic camp, dark humor, and inventive ideas in the sequel, but broadly considered it choppy, hackneyed, and less coherent than its predecessor.
- Which films are like Escape from L.A.?
- Films with a similar feel include Escape from New York, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, Demolition Man, and They Live.
- How long is Escape from L.A.?
- Escape from L.A. runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Escape from L.A.?
- In United States, Escape from L.A. streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
