Escape from New York in 4K Set in a grim, not-too-distant future where a walled-off Manhattan Island has been converted to a massive prison, John Carpenter’s Escape from New York confronts issues of social unrest, government surveillance and corruption. Kurt Russell plays Snake Plissken, a former bank robber and classic anti-hero, promised a pardon if he rescues the American president, who is trapped in Manhattan. The now-iconic character allowed Russell to shed his image as a Disney live-action leading man and kindled a long collaborative relationship with Carpenter. An early example of the cyberpunk genre in cinema, the film was a critical and commercial success, influencing many screenwriters and authors.
