Why a 1995 action flop became a lightning rod for real-world subway crime
In short: Money Train, a high-budget action film starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, was a commercial and critical disaster upon release. Yet, it remains infamous for a specific, dangerous plot point that allegedly inspired a string of real-world copycat attacks, sparking national outrage and calls for a widespread boycott.
Directed by Joseph Ruben, the 1995 film follows two transit police officers who attempt to rob a heavily armored subway train hauling revenue. Despite the star power of Snipes and Harrelson, who were each paid $5.5 million, the film was widely panned. Critics labeled it a noisy, incoherent entry in the buddy-cop genre, with Rotten Tomatoes recording a 22% approval rating. Even the stars later expressed dissatisfaction, with Harrelson noting the production felt like being a mere cog in a machine.
The film’s notoriety stems from a scene featuring a serial arsonist known as Torch, who robs a token booth by dousing the attendant with flammable liquid. Following the movie's release, seven similar crimes occurred in New York City. While police did not definitively link the incidents to the film, the timing prompted intense public backlash. Presidential candidate Bob Dole famously called for a boycott, and actor Chris Cooper, who played Torch, later expressed regret for his involvement in the project.
Beyond the controversy, the film serves as a time capsule for New York City transit history. The production used modified R21 and R30 subway cars to create the fictional money train, which was far more imposing than the actual maintenance trains used by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Those real-world money trains were eventually retired in 2006, rendered obsolete by the introduction of the MetroCard and computerized vending machines, which eliminated the need to transport massive quantities of coins across the city.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Money Train
- Also: Wikidata — Money Train · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Money Train · CC0
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