Sonoma State Star

Issue date: 3/8/06 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: courtesy//www.thezreview.co.uk

Cheers to director Richard Donner for making a smart action-thriller where we don't have to think too hard to figure out what's going on. All you have to do is hold on to your seat and watch it get played out for you.

The only thing you have to think about is how they are going to get through these tight situations and inevitably make it or you'll think about how they won't get through the upcoming situations and not make it anywhere.

It's anybody's bet right down to the end of the movie.

You have to hold your breath when it's a PG-13 movie starring Bruce Willis and directed by Donner. PG-13 doesn't usually work out for them as well as their R-rated films. Willis has "Hudson Hawk" and "The Bonfire of the Vanities" while Donner has "Timeline."

But they both pull it off in this movie with a sort of laidback ease.

"16 Blocks" starts out with a crime scene during the graveyard shift in New York City. It's Jacks (Willis) lucky night. He gets to baby-sit the scene until shift-change gets there to relieve him.

After Jack raids the DOA's alcohol cabinet for some much needed Irish coffee he gets relieved by a couple of guys in blue.

But this is his lucky night. Jack is the only one left to take a witness, Eddie (Mos Def), to the courthouse for a testimony. Night has become morning and the morning rush hour is in full swing.

This is irritating, so clearly Jack needs to stop at a liquor store while transporting the witness.

Eddie knows more than he should so it's not hard to believe that when Jack comes out of the store a hit man draws his gun on Eddie.

What is hard to believe is that Jack drops his newly purchased bottle to draw his gun and shoot the hit man. Even Jack is surprised. Hell, everybody's surprised. The movie stops to take a moment and let everyone make sure that this has actually happened.

This is the beginning. They are now on the lam and only have two hours to get to the courthouse. Is safety really at the courthouse? All the while crooked cops, some who are partners of partners of police captains and watch commanders, are chasing them.

This all winds down to the one place it has to end: the courthouse. The thing about it is that it doesn't have to end at the courthouse. Jack is a cop and his civic duty tells him that he has to bring Eddie to his destination.

But in earlier dialogue Jack said, "Life is too long and with guys like you it makes it even longer."

Continued...

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