16 Quadras

This is not a remake of "The Gauntlet," though the theme is a familiar one. There are, in fact, several movies with similar plots; "3:10 to Yuma" and "Narrow Margin" come to mind. A reviewer emailed me that "Midnight Run" not only has a story like "16 Blocks" but Bruce Willis' character Jack Mosley has a name that is a composite of the movie names for two of the leading roles in "Midnight Run": Robert De Niro's Jack Walsh and Yaphet Kotto's FBI Agent Alonzo Mosely. This, of course, may be mere coincidence. Though the story may seem like déjà vu, the action is fast paced making this an exciting film to watch.

Anyone who doubts that Bruce Willis can act needs only watch his standout performance in "Pulp Fiction" to see what depth this actor can bring to a demanding role. The role of Jack Mosely may not be challenging to Willis, but he still gives it all he's got which is plenty. Playing the part of an over the hill New York cop with a game leg, nothing to live for, and a drinking problem seems easy for Willis to make it all believable.

The criminal, Eddie Bunker, Jack must deliver to testify within a certain time frame is played with gusto by hip-hop artist Mos Def. Eddie is the most verbose prisoner ever. He rattles on and on about anything that comes to mind, some of it funny, some of it trite. He also has a riddle that is not answered till near the end of the film.

A standout performance is delivered by David Morse as the leader of the dirty cops, Frank Nugent. Morse is in danger of becoming typecast as a dishonest lawman. I'm hopeful he will become more diversified in his roles since he is such a talented actor.

This is another winner from action director Richard Donner. If you like his other successful concoctions such as the "Lethal Weapon" flicks, "Superman," "Conspiracy Theory," and "The Omen," then you will certainly enjoy "16 Blocks."

Bruce Willis doesn't exactly have to stretch himself here, in the role of Jack Mosley. Jack is an extremely weary, damaged veteran NYPD detective with a fondness for the bottle. One morning he receives a supposedly minor assignment: escort a witness named Eddie Bunker (Yasiin Bey, a.k.a. hip hop artist Mos Def) to a courthouse. But this turns out to be a nightmare, because this witness' testimony will help to put away some VERY dirty cops, and they will do ANYTHING to silence Bunker - and Mosley, if need be.

Recalling the 1977 Clint Eastwood vehicle "The Gauntlet" (to name just one possible influence), "16 Blocks" explores fairly familiar territory. Still, the idea of watching this seriously burnt-out cop begin to redeem himself makes it all pretty compelling. Richard Donner (in what was his last film for the past 13 years) guides it all in style, with top action scenes and good use of NYC locations. The film starts off in a rather low-key manner, then ratchets up the tension and quickens the pace as the first attempt is made on Bunkers' life. The chemistry between cop and witness is effective enough to carry the story through to its ultimate conclusion, especially as Mosley realizes that Bunker is really not a bad person, despite what his colleagues try to tell him. (It's worth noting that the naming of this character may be a deliberate nod to the real-life Eddie Bunker, who'd spent time in prison and turned his life around by becoming a novelist and screenwriter, and actor, in things like "Reservoir Dogs".)

When he actually gives a damn about a project, Willis can still deliver a riveting performance, as he does so here. Despite his flaws, Mosley comes off as an all-too-human protagonist, one with some rooting interest. Since it's Willis in the role, the viewer has no doubt that he's still capable of kicking some ass when necessary. As for Mos Def, his affected, nasal voice CAN grate on the nerves, as well as the characters' incessant chattiness, but the performance is basically sound. Familiar faces in supporting roles include the always great David Morse (as the ringleader of the crooked cops), David Zayas ('Dexter'), Casey Sander ('Grace Under Fire'), Cylk Cozart ("White Men Can't Jump"), Kim Chan ("Lethal Weapon 4"), and Donner's actor cousin Steve Kahan, whom action fans know as Captain Murphy in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise.

A good, enjoyable action-thriller overall, which finds all of its key participants in fine form. One memorable sequence has Jack and Eddie trapped on a bus and surrounded by the authorities.

Seven out of 10.

Det. Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) is an old tired apathetic drunk. It's been a long night shift, and he's about to go home. He's roped in to bring witness Eddie (Mos Def) from jail to the courthouse to testify. It's a distance of 16 blocks. Then people start trying to kill Eddie including Jack's former partner Det. Frank Nugent (David Morse).

This is a surprisingly tense thriller from director Richard Donner. Bruce is playing an older drunk John McClane. Mos Def is pretty fun as jittery talking machine. David Morse has great intensity. The cat and mouse game is very compelling. And the chemistry between Jack and Eddie develops very nicely. This is a great tense thriller. The ending is a bit unnecessarily messy. A simpler finish would be much better.

In 16 Blocks (2006) made by Richard Donner (whose films include Superman (1978), four Lethal Weapon movies, Maverick, Conspiracy Theory among others), Bruce Willis plays Jack Mosley, a tired broken drunk detective in NYC. One morning, after his night shift is over, he gets an assignment to escort a witness-criminal named Eddie (Mos Def) to a grand jury hearing which 16 blocks away from headquarters is. The witness has to get to court in next 118 minutes but on the way somebody wants him dead and they have all means and determination to have it happen. The kid, like everyone calls Eddie is going to testify against corruption and drug dealing within the very police department where Jack used to work and where he has long time friends and colleagues, including his former partner for many years, Det. Frank Nugent (David Morse). Now Jack and Eddie are against New York's bravest and time is certainly not on their side while they are on the trip through 16 Blocks in Chinatown to make it in time to court and preferably alive.

For the first 70 minutes I loved the film but then, the creators made an implausible turn in the script which made me cringe but even the way it turned, the movie was fun to watch -the combination of Action/Crime/Thriller almost always makes me happy. The DVD features an alternate ending which I like a lot and I wish it could make it to the theatrical release. It is more logical and fits the film but I can understand why the movie makers decided to go with the different ending. Another thing - you can't go wrong with Bruce Willis. The guy was born to play the tough cops who never give up and who are good in saving the city, the country, the world, the humankind or just one petty criminal and to give him a chance to re-start his life and do something out of it.

16 BLOCKS is a neat little Hollywood thriller that might not offer the bulldozing excitement of a DIE HARD movie or the fantastic stuntwork of a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE flick, but which still generates plenty of suspense from its straightforward premise. It tells the story of a cop and a criminal, two men who have to cross New York before their deadline runs out. Of course, there's a lot more at stake than it first appears, and gradually director Richard Donner weaves a story of friendship, betrayal, skeletons in the closet and, above all else, the need to "do the right thing". It's a story that's character-focused throughout, with the emphasis on the developing relationship between Bruce Willis' detective and Mos Def's criminal. Some might find this emphasis off putting, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bruce Willis is much as we met him in DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE (and indeed there are many parallels and references to that movie in this one); he's washed up, past his glory, except here he's even worse, saddled with a paunch and a gammy leg. Once the bullets start flying, Bruce's character takes a turn for the better and he becomes the everyday hero we all know and love him for. I was prepared to dislike Mos Def's high-talking criminal but, surprisingly enough, he's one of the best things in the film, and he really makes the criminal character his own, adding warmth to the feature. David Morse, off our screens for too long, is as great as ever as the corrupt cop who becomes the nemesis of the heroes.

While the film is not action-focused, there are some highly impressive set-pieces which strive for realism – the stand-out scene being the bus hostage rescue, of course. Elsewhere, the layer of gritty realism – no pyrotechnics here – and the endless cops-vs-robbers stealthy sneaking around generate plenty of tension and also excitement. My only real complaint is with the ending, which could have been handled a little better, but then it chooses emotion over action and it's a character-focused finale rather than one with big bangs. I remember a few years back when the film S.W.A.T. attempted a similar storyline; the difference is, that film was a piece of crap, and this one is rather good.