“16 Blocks” is Good, not Great
Before I get to this week’s movie review, there are certain truths about me that I should share:
1. I am a huge Mos Def fan. I enjoy his work as both an actor and a hip-hop artist. He’s just a supremely talented lyricist and an underrated dramatic and comical actor.
2. I am a huge fan of Bruce Willis. In the past two decades, he has shown wide range from his over-the-top role on the T.V. series Moonlighting in the 80’s to his larger-than-life Die-Hard films and his more subtle work in The Sixth Sense. I’ve always respected Bruce’s skill even despite my ex-wife’s mammoth and highly-vocal crush on him. Even when enduring petty-jealousy, I couldn’t help but admire the guy.
So when the film 16 Blocks was released, staring both Mos Def and Bruce Willis, I was more excited than when I found about the release of Rocky IV as a kid. Bookie was less than enthusiastic about the film, so we didn’t see it in theatres.
This past Friday, for Date Night, Bookie asked me to choose between a sappy comedy, a chick flick, and a weepy drama. I selected 16 Blocks as my fourth option, much to her dismay. I managed to convince her to watch the film with me by reminding her that for her benefit, I had endured movies I normally wouldn’t watch. I also cited the “Rambo effect” (After grudgingly agreeing to watch “Rambo” with me, she admitted that she was entertained by it.) Conflict resolved, we settled in to watch the film, 16 Blocks, directed by Richard Donner.
16 Blocks is a typical action-suspense film. Like most action films, 16 Blocks has a simple, straightforward plot. Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) is tapped to transport a career petty-criminal named Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) from a police holding facility to the courthouse. But like most suspense films, things aren’t exactly what they seem to be. Jack and Eddie find themselves locked in a cat-and-mouse struggle to escape certain death as they elude hitmen and even law enforcement itself in an effort to provide testimony against crooked cops.
That’s pretty much it. After about 90 minutes of implausible, improbable scenarios, gripping action sequences, and the requisite stark, but endearing revelations, the ride is over. Was this film everything I thought it would be? Of course not, but to be fair, in my mind, I set pretty lofty expectations.
Mos Def’s portrayal of Eddie grew on me eventually, though I still don’t understand why he chose to play him with that weird, nasally, rapid-fire accent. He sounded like a cross between a sixties poetry beatnik and Ned the Wino. It was like he was doing a satire of a stereotypical Black hustler. Bruce Willis nailed his role as an over-the-hill, self-loathing, alcoholic detective who seems to dread just being alive. The chemistry between both actors was believable, and became emotionally vested in both of their plights as well as the overall plot. Overall, 16 Blocks is somewhat predictable, but it’s definitely worth watching.
As for Bookie, she loved it. That’s right, I can still pick ’em.
1)Story: C
2)Acting: B
3)Visuals: B
4)Originality/Innovation: B
5)Enjoyability Grade: A
6)Date Material: A
7)Contemporary Element (Will it be watchable two decades from now?): A
8)Overall Grade: B+
***
Blind Eye Turning: Poems, Prose, and other Scribbles, by Barry Dawson
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