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Bruce Willis is a cop and Mos Def his prisoner in 16 Blocks.
I was suffering this week for a really good film. There was a dry run there that was really killing me, and made me wonder just what it was about movies that really got me interested in them. Thankfully, 16 Blocks came along. This terrific, character-driven thriller broke that horrible streak of bad films for me. It’s not the kinetic, overly-edited action flick your used to, but more of an old fashioned thriller that really delivers.
Bruce Willis is Jack Mosley, a broken down alcoholic detective waiting out his time until retirement. As he is the only one left in the office one day, he’s tasked with transporting a prisoner (Mos Def) 16 blocks so he can testify in court. But an assassination attempt on the prisoner sends him and Jack on the run from crooked cops.
The storyline isn’t terribly complicated, which is a good thing, although there are a few nice twists and turns. Willis is great as Jack. He seems far more comfortable in a role than he’s been in several years. Mos Def is also terrific as Eddie Bunker, the thief turned witness for the prosecution. The two play off one another with great chemistry, showing a sweet repartee that was similar to Willis and Samuel Jackson in Die Hard with a Vengeance. I also enjoyed watching David Morse, whose an actor I’ve always liked since the days of St. Elsewhere (even if he always seems to play bad guys).
If I were to levy a criticism at 16 Blocks it would be that perhaps it’s a little slower than it should have been. There are intense action sequences, and plenty of them. Mosley and Bunker are constantly on the run, and this keeps the film moving along. But when it takes its foot off the accelerator, the film chugs onward at a pace that doesn’t seem normal for an action thriller. Still, I enjoyed it immensely. And to be honest, I enjoyed it all the more because of its focus on the characters and their relationship than the action.
The weakest portion of the film takes place in the tail end of its middle, when Mosley and Bunker inadvertently take a bus full of people hostage. This sequence seemed out of place, feeling more like a third-act conclusion than a second-act action piece. But this gets made up for by the terrific character dynamics that serve as its conclusion.
Richard Donner handles the visuals well, although there are moments when 16 Blocks feels a bit claustrophobic. The camera remains tight on its actors, so much so that the wide streets and skylines of New York City are barely seen. Richard Wenk has crafted a tight script, one that balances the characters and the action rather well. Together, he and Donner have assembled a top-rate thriller that has far more meat than the usual faire.
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