Escape From New York

(Escape from New York)

1998. Forces hostile to the United States grow strong in the late 20th Century. A great moral crisis grips the nation as social revolution and a breakdown of the criminal justice system threaten society. To protect and defend its citizens, the United States Police Force is formed. 1999. The population of Los Angeles grows to 40 million. The city is ravaged by crime and immorality. A Presidential candidate predicts a millennium earthquake will destroy the city in divine retribution. An earthquake measuring 9.6 on the Richter scale hits at 12:59 p.m., August 23rd, in the year 2000. After the devastation, the constitution is damned, and the newly elected President accepts a lifetime term of office. Fearing a massive terrorist invasion from South America, the United States prepares for war. The Great Wall is built along the southern border, cutting off the flow of illegal aliens. Street gangs, South American terrorists and the criminally insane capture Los Angeles, the once-great City of Angels. Now an island on the border of civilization, L.A. is a no-man's land of chaos, anarchy and darkness. The United States Police Force, like an army, is encamped in the San Gabriel Mountains. The President's first act as Permanent Commander-in-Chief is Directive 17: protect and defend the United States from this island of the damned, Hell on Earth. 2013. NOW.

The plane of the president of United States is victim a suicide commando that crashes it in the prison of New York. The President, alive, thanks to an   individual protection sphere, is detected in one of the skyscraper of the city thanks to a transmitter present to his wrist.

For Bob Hauk, the chief of the police, as for the whole humanity, the risk is important. It is imperative to find the President and the suitcase that accompanies him into the next 24 hours else he will not be able to assist to a world meeting and to give a high-secret recording that could rock peace.

Bob Hauk decides to engage a new captive very well known by services, S.D. Plissken alias Snake. He is the only one who can penetrate inside the prison and bring back the President as well as the documents that accompany him. Bob promises Snake to free him in case of success. But Snake has not the choice. He is being injected in arteries explosive capsules that would release in 22 hours, the time of mission remaining, except if theses are radiated 15 minutes before.

Snake Plissken lands in glider on the top of the World Trade Center, the New York's greatest skyscraper, the only landing area in this human jungle full of lethal dangers, insuring him a possible future retirement. But, the research based on the transmitter carried by the president fails. Snake finds the bracelet but it is carried by a mediocre individual. Saved in extremis by "Cabbie", a taxi driver prisoner who has always lived in New York, he learns that the Duke holds the President captive, the Duke of New York, the gang's leader and number one of the city. "Cabbie" drives Snake to meet Brain, an ancient knowledge who can give him a ticket to encounter the Duke.

The Duke arrives to meet Brain. This last is the only one to possess the map of the mined bridge leading to the exterior of the city. Snake, Brain and her girlfriend Maggie, seize the opportunity of the visit of the Duke to try to deliver the President held to the other end of the city. Unfortunately Snake is made prisoner.

Prisoners of New York request their liberation in exchange of the life of the President. But Snake knows that in a few time, this one will no longer be a bargaining viable chip. So, such as the circus games, Snake has to fight a colosse while Brain will profit the opportunity to attempt to deliver the President and to escape on board Snake's glider...

 Spoiler ! the end of the story is revealed below…

Knowing it, the horde of prisoners go to the research of the runaways, while Snake directs towards the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, a band of plunderer broke the glider before his arrival. In exchange for the magnetic tape of the President that Bren holds on, Snake accepts to take him with his companion. Together, the team and the President, decide therefore to escape by car via the bridge from which they know the mining map...

Chased by the Duke, Brain and Maggie will find death. The President will be saved just in time. Furthermore, he'll the Duke by his own hands, the Duke, New York number one. Snake is free. But, because of lack of recognition of the President towards the number of killed in the operation, Snake will provide the wrong tape.