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Assault on Precinct 13 [Widescreen]

Actor(s): Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Drea de Matteo, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo
Director(s): Jean-Fran�ois Richet
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Movie Details

MPAA Rating: R
Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Adult Situations, Profanity, Sexual Situations, Drug Content
Movie Release: 2005
DVD Release: 05/10/2005
Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned
Audio Tracks: English, French
Subtitles: French, Spanish
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 49 mins
Studio: Universal Studios
Total Copies: 39
Genres: Action, Action Thriller, Police Drama
See Also: Assault on Precinct 13 [Fullscreen], Assault on Precinct 13 [UMD for PSP], Assault on Precinct 13 [HD DVD], Assault on Precinct 13 [Widescreen], Assault on Precinct 13 [Widescreen], Assault on Precinct 13 [Widescreen]

DVD Synopsis

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

Actors

Ethan Hawke - Sgt. Jake Roenick
Laurence Fishburne - Marion Bishop
Drea de Matteo - Iris Ferry
Brian Dennehy - Jasper O'Shea
John Leguizamo - Beck

Member Movie Reviews

Jason C. (JJC) from NEWARK, NJ wrote on 12/14/2007...

Remake after remake...they just keep on coming. But this time, it's a remake of one of my personal favorite flicks, directed by the great John Carpenter. However, it is my duty to inform you that this remake is actually very good, BUT doesn't compare to its classic predecessor. Although maybe I'm just a bit bias.

Like recent remakes, "Assault on Precinct 13" is a 'reworking' of its previous story.

Our hero cop this time is Sgt. Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke), an undercover cop who was demoted to desk duty due to a drug-bust gone wrong which involved the deaths of two of his fellow officers. Eight months after the incident we find out that Roenick has been the head officer at Detroit's rundown Precinct 13, due to be closed at Midnight, New Year's Day.

It's December 31st and our hero villain, head gangster Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishburne), has been captured by the police due to his murdering of a corrupt cop. Marcus Duvall (Gabriel Byrne), is the head of a special police unit that wants nothing more but to see Bishop dead or in his custody (same difference).

Meanwhile Roenick's skeleton crew, which consists of veteran cop Jasper O'Shea (Brian Dennehy) and sexy secretary Iris Ferry (Drea de Matteo), all look forward to a slow and drunken night to celebrate the coming of the New Year and the closing of the almost abandoned precinct. However, Roenick has one scheduled visitor, Dr. Alex Sabian (Maria Bello), a psychologist analyzing Roenick for his drug-bust disaster.

Bishop, along with two-bit criminals Beck (John Leguizamo), Anna (Aisha Hinds) and Smiley (Ja Rule), board a bus to be transferred to a security prison, but a huge snow-storm (great story move) delays this action and they are forced to wait out the night at Precinct 13, much to Roenick's dismay. After this is quietly and unofficially supervised by Duvall, an all-out siege is conducted on the precinct, manned by Duvall's special police unit. Roenick realizes that these hombres are after Bishop but also won't give up until everyone in the joint is dead. So, the cops and criminals and guests all team together in an effort to stop Duvall's assault on Precinct 13.

That's pretty much it, and pretty damn good it is. French director Jean-François Richet brings us a dark and gritty action flick here. Solid, edgy and pretty straight to the point...elements needed in a shoot 'em up police actioner. Well shot and well edited I might add.

Carpenter's "13" is a balls out cult-actioner from the 70s that has that certain charm to it, and can never be matched: the groundbreaking use of silencers, the characters (especially Darwin Joston's Napoleon Wilson), the famous Carpenter music and the classic dialogue ("Anyone gotta smoke?"). This "13" measures as a solid, police action-thriller, nowhere near as serious or great as "The French Connection" or "L.A. Confidential", but damn finer than most cop thrillers of today.

I had fun!