16 Blocks (B- or 3/4 stars)
In both '16 Blocks' & his Lethal Weapon, Richard Donner directs by blending action, humanity & humor. '16 Blocks' isn't as impressive as Lethal Weapon, but it's still a very good thriller that has its shining moments. Jack Mosely (Bruce Willis), an old, drunk, washed-up NYPD officer, is sent to escort Eddie Bunker (rapper, Mos Def), recent criminal & witness in a high profile investigation against Jack's ex-partner, Frank Nugent (David Morse). Jack's seemingly easy a.m. task is to take Eddie a mere 16 Blocks to the courthouse; he has 118 minutes to do so. But when Frank and the other crooked cops show up to give Jack a hard time, and aims to kill Eddie, a sobering Jack needs to decide if he's doing the right thing. Regardless of 'doing the right thing', Jack and Eddie need to book it to the courthouse where tons of non-stop action & suspense ensues.
Can and/or 'will' he deliver Eddie to the courthouse in time? Will he abandon his loyalty to ex-partner, Frank? Will he turn on Eddie and kill him? And does Jack have enough incentive in his life to change for the better? This film starts slowly, but picks up the pace quickly. None of the action is particularly new or fresh, but it's executed very well, thanks to the director. Sometimes, originality CAN take aback seat to just a well-executed plotline. i.e., There is a big scene in which there is a stand-off on a bus. I've seen this type of scene before, and I've even seen how the hostages and captors react before in other films. But the scene has great energy and I found myself biting my nails.
It's interesting to watch an aged Bruce Willis deal with an annoying character such as Eddie Bunker (Def). Willis plays Jack as tired & stoic; completely believable as an out-of-shape 60ish cop. Yet, it never hurts to have him in any action film, regardless of the haggard role he plays. Mos Def plays Eddie as slightly manic, fidgety, shrill, yet earnest; the dynamic between the two really works. And I'm increasingly impressed with Def's recent acting performances. He's a vulnerable good guy; you want him to be innocent/survive/prosper with his life goal of opening a bakery in Seattle with a sister whom he has never met. And David Morse is steady as ever in one of his typical loathsome roles. Yet, he still brings humanity to his characters in every movie he is featured in.
'16 Blocks' is a decent thriller that actually put an emphasis on the 2 main characters. I was pleasantly surprised by this emphasis. Jack is fed up with himself and the corruption within the NYPD. Eddie is trying to change his stagnant, tedious lifestyle. Learning more about the relationship btwn. these guys really made me pull for them while they were dodging bullets & running for their lives. '16 Blocks' isn't so much about the action/suspense (to which there is plenty of ... even last minute twists!), it's more about these 2 characters and if they can change the course of their life (all the while, trying to stay alive) ... yes, people can change. There's a nice moral within this story to complement the action. I really enjoyed this.
Can and/or 'will' he deliver Eddie to the courthouse in time? Will he abandon his loyalty to ex-partner, Frank? Will he turn on Eddie and kill him? And does Jack have enough incentive in his life to change for the better? This film starts slowly, but picks up the pace quickly. None of the action is particularly new or fresh, but it's executed very well, thanks to the director. Sometimes, originality CAN take aback seat to just a well-executed plotline. i.e., There is a big scene in which there is a stand-off on a bus. I've seen this type of scene before, and I've even seen how the hostages and captors react before in other films. But the scene has great energy and I found myself biting my nails.
It's interesting to watch an aged Bruce Willis deal with an annoying character such as Eddie Bunker (Def). Willis plays Jack as tired & stoic; completely believable as an out-of-shape 60ish cop. Yet, it never hurts to have him in any action film, regardless of the haggard role he plays. Mos Def plays Eddie as slightly manic, fidgety, shrill, yet earnest; the dynamic between the two really works. And I'm increasingly impressed with Def's recent acting performances. He's a vulnerable good guy; you want him to be innocent/survive/prosper with his life goal of opening a bakery in Seattle with a sister whom he has never met. And David Morse is steady as ever in one of his typical loathsome roles. Yet, he still brings humanity to his characters in every movie he is featured in.
'16 Blocks' is a decent thriller that actually put an emphasis on the 2 main characters. I was pleasantly surprised by this emphasis. Jack is fed up with himself and the corruption within the NYPD. Eddie is trying to change his stagnant, tedious lifestyle. Learning more about the relationship btwn. these guys really made me pull for them while they were dodging bullets & running for their lives. '16 Blocks' isn't so much about the action/suspense (to which there is plenty of ... even last minute twists!), it's more about these 2 characters and if they can change the course of their life (all the while, trying to stay alive) ... yes, people can change. There's a nice moral within this story to complement the action. I really enjoyed this.