Reel Horror

Assault on Precinct 13 (Widescreen Edition) asin: B0007W7I4W

Over 20 years ago, an unknown director named John Carpenter released his debut feature "Darkstar." Upon the release of the movie, Carpenter was approached by a group of investors confident in his ability. The backers gave Carpenter carte blanche to make any film he choose - something almost unheard of even today! Carpenter had his heart set on making a western. However, he knew full well the shoestring budget could never support a period piece and updated his ideas. Thus "Assault on Precinct 13" was born. The original is a modern (modern for the mid-70's) day western. An homage to Howard Hawks and his film Rio Bravo.

The original film revolves around a remote, police station on the eve of its last active night and the rookie officer, Ethan Bishop (Austin Stoker), assigned to the graveyard shift. When a murderous street gang declares war on the police station it's up to Bishop and rag tag group of criminal lead by the notorious Napoleon Wilson to fend them off.

Assault is not your average action film. It's an action driven, character study chock full of social commentary. Ethan Bishop and Napoleon Wilson (Darwin Joston) are both played by African American actors. This immediately changes the tone of the film. Instead of a film about racial relations, it's broken down to the barest form. Good vs Evil. Or rather the fact that life is not as black and white as "good and evil" everything is perspective.

Everything that made the original charming and thought provoking is thrown out of the remake. Sadly, nothing new or inventive is added. Jean-François Richet's
redition of "Assault" plays out like every run of the mill action film.

Ethan Hawke plays Jake Roenick, an officer assigned to a remote Precinct 13 on it's last night in operation, which also happens to be New Year's Eve. Jake, having been injured 8 months earlier in a drug deal gone bad in which he also lost his two partners, hids behind a veil of fake responsiblity, alocohol and painkillers.

Enter Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishburne), a notorious criminal who seems to have his hands in everything. Upon being captured, Bishop is forced to spend two nights in county due to the holiday. But a blinding snowstorm hinders the transport and they are forced to pull over at Precinct 13 to wait out the storm. Now here comes the big change. The new concept that will set this film apart from the orginal....

Bishop has been working with a group of about 30 cops. Cops who now realize they cannot let him live. When a stealth strike on "13," lead by Gabriel Byrne fails. The dirty cops decide that the lives of the eight people trapped in the station are not worth lives of 30 officers. Now, Roenick (Hawke) and his skeleton crew must team up with a rag tag group of criminals lead by Bishop (Fishburne) to fend off the assaulting cops.

All character developement is replaced by horrible one liners and over the top action. By changing the race of the young officer in the station, we now have a racial divide that overshadows the original concept of the film. The casting of Gabriel Bynre as the leader of the dirty cops also detracts from the story. In the original "Assault" it was a faceless, nameless threat that ultimately made the film eerie and suspenseful. Now we have a recognizable face on the overly cliche threat of dirty cops.

Honestly, I hate to compare remakes and originals. I like to judge a film on it's own merits. However, the original is all this remake has going for it. This film brings nothing new to the screen.

Ethan Hawke is enjoyable as Jake Roenick, especially in the opening drug deal scene. He's enjoyable. Not memorable. Enjoyable. Fishburne is Fishburne. I don't now how else to describe him. He's smooth, cool and emotionless. But it's tired now. If I want to see Morpheus I will watch "The Matrix." The rest of the cast rounded out by Drea de Matteo, Ja Rule and John Leguizamo are easily forgettable. The only person who shines in this movie is Brian Dennehy. What? You didn't know he was in it? But I bet you knew Ja Rule was in it. That's the problem with Hollywood not the film. That's another rant.

Everything else about the film is average. Directing, writing, soundtrack. They all barely register. I firmly believe is the original did not have a cult following this film would never have been made.

My advice...Save your money and rent the original. This new "Assault" has lost all the charisma and social commentary that made the original a cult classic.