The action scenes are decent but frankly token and lack suspense. The plot is completely straightforward. So, why did Escape from New York inspire video games? Because it’s fun. A very capable director avoids the flubs of typical cult films, and the attention to colorful set design and simple yet strong characters creates a self-contained adventure that you can only stare at and smile for the entire duration. It wouldn’t be wrong to call this movie adorable, despite its grim setting.