Themes: Hostage Situations, Rogue Cops, Under Siege
Main Cast: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Drea de Matteo, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
This action-packed remake of the John Carpenter classic tells the tale of an under-manned Detroit police precinct on its last day of operation that finds itself under siege by a ruthless force that will not stop. This time, a notorious cop-killer and mobster Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishbourne) is unexpectedly brought into the precinct during a blizzard on New Year's Eve, much to the dismay of police sergeant Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke). By nightfall, the remaining cops and prisoners find themselves fighting for their lives against a group of rogue cops intent on taking down Bishop before he testifies against them in the courtroom. Now it's up to the officers, secretaries, and inmates on the inside to band together just to survive this one night. Also starring Gabriel Byrne, John Leguizamo, Drea de Matteo, and Brian Dennehy. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Review
In the post-millennia world of remakes, Assault on Precinct 13 gets a surprisingly solid high score thanks to some well-handled tense action and characters that are just juicy enough to make the audience give a damn. One thing this rehash isn't is tame -- this is one violent shoot 'em-up where main characters are killed off while many others are offed in jarring and bloody ways. Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne make for a decent enough buddy pairing, though it's Hawke who keeps the film together from his spastic opening scene through his pill-popping exchanges with Maria Bello. In fact, the strong female characters give the film another notch on its scoreboard with Bello and Drea de Matteo holding their own, despite being surrounded by methed-up junkies like John Leguizamo (whose samurai sword scene gets high gonzo marks) and Ja Rule as Smiley, your friendly neighborhood thug with a penchant for baseball bats and third-person speak. When it comes down to it though, a great action movie survives because of its director, and acclaimed Frenchman Jean-François Richet certainly does not disappoint. Along with Brian De Palma's longtime editor Bill Pankow, Richet handles the action almost perfectly, which thankfully means little shaky-cam during the gunfights in favor of much-needed spatial positioning of the camera. There are a few downsides that this assault does have to answer for -- the first being that Gabriel Byrne's character is completely needless, bringing the film to a halt every time he and his goons show up to "talk" about how clever the people inside are. Also, the film's climax features a forest...in the middle of downtown Detroit! Not only is that a blatant lie, but it is never shown in any of the overhead shots of the building, which the forest is supposedly right behind. Those bellyaches aside, this is one assault that shouldn't be written off simply because of its nature but rather should be enjoyed as its own little slice of overly violent action joy. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
Ja Rule - Smiley; Maria Bello - Alex Sabian; Gabriel Byrne - Marcus Duvall; Kim Coates - Rosen; Matt Craven - Capra; Dorian Harewood - Gil; Roman Podhora - Cop #3; Titus Welliver - Milos; Peter Bryant - Liet. Holloway; Hugh Dillon - Tony; Currie Graham - Kuhane; Fulvio Cecere - Ray Ray; Jessica Greco - Coral; Arnold Pinnock - Carlyle; Ed Queffelec - Bronco Gunman; Jeff Ironi - Fireman #1; Aisha Hinds - Anna; Ray Kahnert - Priest; Al J. Vrkljan - Sniper Sebastien; Brian King - Fireman #2; Tig Fong - Danny Barbero; Courtney Cunningham - Cop #1; Darren Frost - Mover #1; Jasmin Geljo - Marko; Robert Hayley - Sniper James; J. C. Kenny - Reporter #1; Gilson Lubin - Mover #2; Philip Marshall - Hagen; Sasha Roiz - Jason Elias; Dave Thomassini - Pilot; Melissa Thomson - Lawyer
Credit
Nigel Churcher - Art Director, Jason McFarling - Boom Operator, Denis Bellingham - Boom Operator, Kerry Barden - Casting, Billy Hopkins - Casting, Suzanne Smith - Casting, Robin D. Cook - Casting, Andrew Bell - Consultant/advisor, Dieter Boeheim - Consultant/advisor, Tom Galazka - Consultant/advisor, John Giangrande - Consultant/advisor, Paul Holder - Consultant/advisor, Dev Singh - Coordinator, Mario Klemens - Conductor, Vicki Graef - Costume Designer, Georgina Yarhi - Costume Designer, Martin Walters - First Assistant Director, Pierre Henry - First Assistant Director, Jean-François Richet - Director, Bill Pankow - Editor, Don Carmody - Executive Producer, Joseph Kaufman - Executive Producer, Sebastian Lemercier - Executive Producer, Francine Francis-Lee - Hair Styles, Jonathan N. Matthews - Location Manager, Sean Cohen - Lighting, Shane Glading - Lighting, Aaron Pozzer - Lighting, Mark Stepanek - Lighting, Graeme Revell - Composer (Music Score), John Houlihan - Musical Direction/Supervision, Mario Cacioppo - Makeup, Paul Jones - Makeup Special Effects, Tony Guerin - Camera Operator, Renato Di Giuseppe - Camera Operator, Joachim Martin - Camera Operator, Andris Matiss - Camera Operator, Paul Denham Austerberry - Production Designer, Louis De Ernsted - Cinematographer, Robert Gantz - Cinematographer, Deb Le Faive - Production Manager, Sarah McMurdo - Production Manager, Jeffrey Silver - Producer, Pascal Caucheteux - Producer, Stephane Sperry - Producer, Chad Malbon - Producer, David Fremlin - Set Designer, Mayumi Konishi - Set Designer, Laird McMurray Film Services - Special Effects, David Lee - Sound Mixer, Paula Fairfield - Sound/Sound Designer, Craig Henighan - Sound/Sound Designer, Shane Cardwell - Stunts, Dwayne McLean - Stunts, Marco Bianco - Stunts, John Stoneham Jr. - Stunts, Suzy Parker - Stunts, Rick Parker - Stunts, Lloyd Adams - Stunts, Brian Jagersky - Stunts, Robert Racki - Stunts, Bryan Thomas - Stunts, Jim Lytle - Stunts, Christopher McGuire - Stunts, Taryn Ash - Stunts, Len Wagner - Stunts, Dean Copkov - Stunts, Brad Bennett - Stunts, Donovan Boucher - Stunts, Scott Douglas - Stunts, Chris Frampton - Stunts, Tom Galacka - Stunts, Catherine Gourdier - Stunts, Howard Green - Stunts, Curtis Hibert - Stunts, Paul Holder - Stunts, Egerton Marcus - Stunts, Moses Nyarko - Stunts, Vanessa Reid - Stunts, Robert Thomas - Stunts, Steve Lucescu - Stunts Coordinator, John Carpenter - Screen Story, James DeMonaco - Screenwriter, Brad Cowan - Production Assistant, Anthony Pace - Production Assistant, Dennis Berardi - Visual Effects Supervisor, Carla Murray - Sound Effects Editor, Lee De Lang - Sound Effects Editor, Nathan Robitaille - Sound Effects Editor, Jane Conway - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Jeff Roth - Executive in Charge of Production, Amy J. Kaufman - Executive in Charge of Production, Mark Chong - Technical Director, Robert Levine - Unit Publicist, Kristy Blackwell - CGI Effects, Mr. X Inc. - Digital Effects, Lara Johnston - Associate Editor, Kathy Nelson - Executive Music Producer, Jayson Clute - First Assistant Camera, Andy Jekabsons - First Assistant Camera, Peter Battistone - First Assistant Camera, Dean Stinchcombe - First Assistant Camera, Bryan Forde - Gaffer, Marek Krawczyk - Gaffer, Richard Allen - Gaffer, Chris Takacs - Gaffer, Derek Parkes - Grip, Terry Barbet - Grip, Mark Dufour - Grip, Carson Foster - Grip, Michael Burak - Key Grip, Donald Irvine - Key Grip, Ashley Revell - Music Editor, Lorraine Samuel - Post Production Coordinator, Gregor Hutchison - Post Production Supervisor, Dana L. Ramsay - Production Coordinator, Ron Hewitt - Properties Master, Acme FX - Pyrotechnic Special Effects, Todd Beckett - Re-Recording Mixer, Chris Dustin - Re-Recording Mixer, Keith Elliot - Re-Recording Mixer, Jason Perreira - Re-Recording Mixer, Mark Zsifkovits - Re-Recording Mixer, Dug Rotstein - Script Supervisor, Nadia Guglieri - Script Supervisor, Sandy Morrow - Script Supervisor, Agnie Poninska - Second Assistant Director, Michael Kavanagh - Special Effects Assistant, Carla Murray - Sound Effects Director, Laird McMurray - Special Effects Coordinator, John MacGillivary - Special Effects Coordinator, Andris Matiss - Steadicam Operator, Michael Gibson - Still Photographer, Paula Fairfield - Supervising Sound Editor, Craig Henighan - Supervising Sound Editor, Eric J. Robertson - Visual Effects Producer, Jill Purdy - ADR Editor, Scott Lyons - Assistant Art Director, Marya Duplaga - Assistant Costumer Designer, Fina Khan - Assistant Hair, Drazen Baric - Assistant Location Manager, Edelgard Pfluegel - Assistant Makeup, Mario Cacioppo - Assistant Makeup, Melissa Girotti - Assistant Production Coordinator, Anthony Pangalos - Assistant Production Coordinator, Michael Huschka - Assistant Properties, Alex Bullick - Assistant Sound Editor, Danny Piva - Best Boy Electric, Jason Hamilton - Best Boy Electric, Greg Haddow - Best Boy Electric, Thomas Care - Best Boy Grip, Ramon Reyes - Best Boy Grip, Robert Orzechowski - Best Boy Grip, Dawn Rivard - Buyer, Theresa Buckley - Buyer, Lisa Martin - Buyer, David Rumley - Camera Loader, Rachel Thompson - Camera Loader, Paul Schnee - Casting Assistant, Deborah Maxwell Dion - Casting Associate, Phillip Tellez - Construction Coordinator, Philip A. Giglio - Electrician, Delroy P. Jarrett - Electrician, Kenneth Wyke - Electrician, Jane Rogers - Extra Casting, Lincoln D'Souza - First Assistant Accountant, Carla Spizziri - First Assistant Accountant, Steve Baine - Foley Artist, Gina Wark - Foley Artist, James D. Brown - Key Hairstylist, Donald J. Mowat - Key Make-up, Rex Fields - Leadman, Sara Johnson - Personal Assistant, James Burke - Personal Assistant, Meghan Davies - Personal Assistant, Michael Kessler - Personal Assistant, Kyle Kitagawa - Personal Assistant, Jessica Lukian - Personal Assistant, Stephen Milo - Personal Assistant, Bromley Switzer - Personal Assistant, Hayley Tyson - Personal Assistant, Jan Nizen - Production Accountant, Brian Carson - Scenic Artist, Liz Caruana - Second Assistant Camera, Federico De Marco - Second Assistant Camera, Marcel Janisse - Second Assistant Camera, Simon Board - Second Unit Assistant Director, Penny Charter - Second Unit Assistant Director, John Rankin - Set Dresser, Steven Middlebrook - Set Dresser, Jeremy Simser - Storyboard Artist, Jim Kennedy - Transportation Coordinator, Steven Essam - Set Decorator, Mike Ellis - Senior Producer, Monty Montgomerie - Cable Person, Leslie Brown - Craft Service/Catering, Starcraft - Craft Service/Catering, By David's Capers - Craft Service/Catering, Beverly Bremner - Craft Service/Catering, Capers Catering - Craft Service/Catering, Regina Petrik - Craft Service/Catering, Trina Petrik - Craft Service/Catering, Ricardo Burkhardt - Driver, Ben Cekuta - Driver, Walter Di Bacco - Driver, Pal Dongo - Driver, Mike Leslie-Smith - Driver, Brian Lytle - Driver, Joseph Muscat - Driver, Jeff Peebles - Driver, Bruce Raymer - Driver, Don Retzer - Driver, Gerald Savoy - Driver, Robert Tanaglia - Driver, Peter Persaud - Foley Recordist, Neil Gover - Generator Operator, Eleanor Mendes - Production Secretary, David Lee - Production Sound Mixer, Earl Araneta - Set Medic/First Aid, Panno Therapeutic - Set Medic/First Aid, Jason Board - Special Effects Technician, Ted Ross - Special Effects Technician, Arthur Langevin - Special Effects Technician, Mark Andrews - Special Effects Technician, Cody Gibson - Special Effects Technician, Darryl Irwin - Special Effects Technician, Bill McShane - Special Effects Technician, Romie Soogree - Special Effects Technician, Stephen C. Wallace - Special Effects Technician, Agnie Poninska - Third Assistant Director, Mike Peleshok - Third Assistant Director, Brendan Bresnahan - Video Assist, Ben Gervais - Video Assist, Devastudios - Title Design, Trent Richmond - First Assistant Sound Editor, Robert Penn Warren - Carpenter, Tony Parkin - Carpenter, Wayne Collins - Carpenter, Henry Llola - Carpenter, Ming Yee - Assistant Head Carpenter, Rob Gyorgy - Compositor, Eric Myles - Compositor, Jason Snea - Compositor
