Post by Quorthon on May 26, 2005 15:09:48 GMT -5
Assault on Precinct 13
Action
1976
COLOR
CKK Corporation
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: John Carpenter
USA
Here’s a relatively forgotten gem from John Carpenter’s past—so much so that for the past couple years I thought his first film was “Halloween!” That was 1978, I think. This film saw rebirth as a remake called “Assault on Precinct 13” in 2004/2005. That’s not a very original title, now is it? Well, being the John Carpenter fan that I am, I felt the need to seek this one out. And, I’d have to say, knowing that it would be an extremely low-budget film from extremely early in Carpenter’s career, I didn’t have exactly the highest hopes for it. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad.
This film centers on a police precinct that is being moved from a very dead city to a more lively one. The community is largely abandoned, with the exception of a huge rampantly roaming gang. A few cops, a couple secretaries, and a couple criminals are forced to defend themselves inside the now-empty police precinct against the roving gang. The gang, mind you, seems to employ every young man in the city and they have the wherewithal to use silencers on their massive arsenal of guns.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Good:
--The action is fast-paced and intense.
--The story isn’t bad.
--The film occasionally has a feel like that of a horror film or thriller—it’s John Carpenter after all—and it works well to build tension.
--The idea of the gang using silencers on their weapons is unique and again adds a feeling of a thriller to the movie—you can’t hear what might kill you—you can only follow where they strike.
--Genuinely humorous conversation from the criminal known as Wilson—he’s witty as hell.
Didn’t Hurt It, Didn’t Help:
--The acting pitches and wanes in quality, but generally isn’t too bad.
--As with all of his films, Carpenter composed the music. It’s not too bad, but not his best.
The Bad:
--A potentially fantastic explosion is ruined by an obviously low budget. The fire that should have followed it is queerly absent.
The Ugly:
--Little girl murdered for no reason.
Memorable Scene:
--When Wilson (the humorous inmate) points out how a prison official doesn’t stand as well as he used to… and most of his dialogue.
Acting: 6/10
Story: 7/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Character Development: 7/10
Special Effects/Make-up: 8/10
Nudity/Sexuality: 0/10
Violence/Gore: 8/10 (very little blood and no gore, plenty of gun violence)
Music: 7/10
Direction: 7/10
Cheesiness: 3/10
Crappiness: 0/10
Overall: 7/10
This isn’t Carpenter’s best work, but it’s not terribly bad, and it decently entertaining. A great film for John Carpenter fans and a pretty good action piece for anyone looking for a quick fix.
Action
1976
COLOR
CKK Corporation
MPAA Rating: R
Directed by: John Carpenter
USA
Here’s a relatively forgotten gem from John Carpenter’s past—so much so that for the past couple years I thought his first film was “Halloween!” That was 1978, I think. This film saw rebirth as a remake called “Assault on Precinct 13” in 2004/2005. That’s not a very original title, now is it? Well, being the John Carpenter fan that I am, I felt the need to seek this one out. And, I’d have to say, knowing that it would be an extremely low-budget film from extremely early in Carpenter’s career, I didn’t have exactly the highest hopes for it. Luckily, it wasn’t too bad.
This film centers on a police precinct that is being moved from a very dead city to a more lively one. The community is largely abandoned, with the exception of a huge rampantly roaming gang. A few cops, a couple secretaries, and a couple criminals are forced to defend themselves inside the now-empty police precinct against the roving gang. The gang, mind you, seems to employ every young man in the city and they have the wherewithal to use silencers on their massive arsenal of guns.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Good:
--The action is fast-paced and intense.
--The story isn’t bad.
--The film occasionally has a feel like that of a horror film or thriller—it’s John Carpenter after all—and it works well to build tension.
--The idea of the gang using silencers on their weapons is unique and again adds a feeling of a thriller to the movie—you can’t hear what might kill you—you can only follow where they strike.
--Genuinely humorous conversation from the criminal known as Wilson—he’s witty as hell.
Didn’t Hurt It, Didn’t Help:
--The acting pitches and wanes in quality, but generally isn’t too bad.
--As with all of his films, Carpenter composed the music. It’s not too bad, but not his best.
The Bad:
--A potentially fantastic explosion is ruined by an obviously low budget. The fire that should have followed it is queerly absent.
The Ugly:
--Little girl murdered for no reason.
Memorable Scene:
--When Wilson (the humorous inmate) points out how a prison official doesn’t stand as well as he used to… and most of his dialogue.
Acting: 6/10
Story: 7/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Character Development: 7/10
Special Effects/Make-up: 8/10
Nudity/Sexuality: 0/10
Violence/Gore: 8/10 (very little blood and no gore, plenty of gun violence)
Music: 7/10
Direction: 7/10
Cheesiness: 3/10
Crappiness: 0/10
Overall: 7/10
This isn’t Carpenter’s best work, but it’s not terribly bad, and it decently entertaining. A great film for John Carpenter fans and a pretty good action piece for anyone looking for a quick fix.
