What starts out as a routine police task ends up saving the life of not just one, but two men. Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) is saved from death and Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) is saved from a life without hope or morality.
Mosley is an aging, alcoholic police officer in New York. Willis does an impressive job playing the character. He walks with a limp from a former police injury and drinks constantly. Willis even gained some weight for the role and sports a potbelly. His facial expressions are exactly those of a weary New York cop. Viewers forget they are watching Willis and really connect with Mosley.
Bunker is a common criminal who witnessed some prominent police officers breaking the law. But he also is a man in touch with the virtues of life and trying to turn his own around. Def's portrayal of Bunker is equally impressive. Def captures all the elements of the character and keeps audiences guessing Bunker's true intentions.
Def also adopts some kind of accent. It's hard to tell what exactly, but it's painful to listen to. If you can get past Bunker's horrible speaking voice, he's a character who is easy to emphasize with.
The plot cleverly revolves around the title of the film. Mosley has to get Bunker to the courthouse —16 blocks down the street — on time to testify against the police officers. The task is easier said than done. The audience comes to discover the police have conspired to kill Bunker before he completes the journey.
The story is original, and the events are executed without being overly predictable. Viewers are surprised as they watch Mosley decide how to deal with the situation he has been presented with. The characters are complex, only revealing their true nature at the very end. The thriller even manages to successfully incorporate some humor.
Despite the interesting premise, the film falls short of its potential. The relationship between Mosley and Bunker is not enough to support an entire feature-length film.
"16 Blocks" could have been an amazing film if there was more to it. There were plenty of minor characters that could have been developed to give the film greater depth.
The picture is gritty, fitting in perfectly with the story. The dark, crude filming style provides audiences with the proper atmosphere for experiencing the tale of police corruption and betrayal.
"16 Blocks" also stays away from incorporating too many scenes involving explosions and shoot-outs — that's not to say there aren't any — but it provides viewers with a nice balance of suspense and action.
The film's score is fairly invisible. Music could have been utilized to add to the intensity of the film, which is basically one giant chase scene. Instead "16 Blocks" is full of forgettable, uninspiring background music.
"16 Blocks" could have been a better movie, but as is, it's still decent. If you're in the mood for a different take on the bad cop turning his life around thriller, "16 Blocks" is definitely worth seeing.
