Assault on Precinct 13

Adding a crooked-cops twist to the outnumbered-and-under-siege plot that John Carpenter lifted from Rio Bravo for his "original" 1976 B-movie shoot-'em-up, the new Assault on Precinct 13 is a reasonably entertaining update of a reliable action-drama formula. Ethan Hawke plays a washed-out undercover cop now pushing paper at the Detroit police department's most rundown, industrial slum outpost, where a prisoner transport stops to wait out a New Year's Eve blizzard. Onboard is a cop-killing kingpin (Laurence Fishburne) marked for death, and this temporary lockup at the isolated, snowed-in, nearly empty precinct offers the best shot for taking him out. The story arc is obvious: good cops and bad criminals must join forces and think cunningly to fight off far better-equipped attackers, but--to his credit--director Jean-Francois Richet keeps the action tight, while also letting his actors find a little nuance in their roles. Unfortunately, many of the plot points are too obvious, so while the film's talented cast (including Gabriel Byrne, John Leguizamo, and Maria Bello) are capable of holding one's interest through the weaker points, this is--taken overall--a rather routine thriller. Optional. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include an audio commentary (by director Jean-François Richet, screenwriter James DeMonaco, and producer Jeffrey Silver), a 13-minute “Caught in the Crosshairs” behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, and four production featurettes: “Armed and Dangerous” about the film's various weapons (5 min.), “Behind Precinct Walls” involving set design (7 min.), “Plan of Attack” describing stunt coordination (4 min.), and “The Assault Team” with cast and crew interviews (5 min.). Bottom line: a decent extras package for a so-so remake.] (R. Blackwelder)