Powerful

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

As I watched this film, I kept thinking how the plot devices very much resemble those of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. As in NOTLD, we see a group of strangers in a structure desperately trying to survive the deadly attackers that are attempting to break in and kill them. Both movies show the principle players going through their doubts, fears and angst between each other as the story unfolds. Also, I felt that there were parallels between Ethan Bishop's (Stoker) and Ben's (Jones in NOTLD) characters as they both took on an important leadership role and kept things 'on track' for all of the other players. NOTLD was released in 1968 and AOP13 was released in 1976, so this would have given Carpenter the right amount of time to allow NOTLD to percolate in his consciousness. Anyway, it makes sense to me.Overall, I liked the film. But I personally prefer Carpenter's films containing supernatural overtones. I believe that he did a great job considering the budget that he had to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed the DVD extra of an audience participation interview with Carpenter and Austin Stoker after a screening of AOP13 (Special Edition DVD release). This is a must-see!

Initially controversial for its then uncompromising violence and flashes of unrelenting sadism, this expertly set-up action-flick makes good on its promise of an explosive finale but spends just as much time building its fantastic characters so that its tension is true and palpable. 'Assault On Precinct 13 (1976)' is fantastically well-realised and brings a relatively realistic grit to all of its sequences, painting a picture of a near inescapable situation and putting your smack-dab in the centre of it, and it is gripping pretty much right from the off. 7/10

Assault on Precinct 13 is another great moment in John Carpenter's filmography. First of all the screenplay is masterful. The way all the characters are introduced in order to intersect is precise and methodical. A few flaws during the confrontation are minor. Direction and cinematography are great as well. For example, the way the empty streets are filmed like a deserted urban landscape (mainly with panoramic shots) or the claustrophobic and tense atmosphere that is achieved at the precinct. And this part of the movie brings in mind a lot The Night of the Living Dead. Moreover, the exceptional synths by John Carpenter underline functionally the action. 8,5/10

An L.A. street gang declares war on a police station about to be shut down that has given refuge to a man who has witnessed a gang slaying, and killed one of them.Because of the shutdown, the phones and electricity have been turned off, and gang members await outside with knives and guns where the precinct has been totally shut off from the outside world......A loose remake of Rio Bravo, AOP13 is an intense ride from beginning to end, and although that sounds like a cliché and a half, the intensity of the silence once the titular assault begins, it can almost deafen yours senses.Apart from the fact that not all the characters are fleshed out, Carpenter keeps the dialogue to the minimum, and let the squibs do the talking.The series of events that cause that cause the assault are pretty unnerving, and I guarantee you'll never question what kind of gelato you are served with in future.The gang are sinister, almost zombie like, and if the film had any horror elements to it, the gang are a hybrid of the pirates from The Fog, The Shape from Halloween, and The Dukes Gang from EFNY. It's as if Carpenter has written these members in a sort of Carpenter-esque multiverse.The soundtrack is compelling, and the lighting adds much to the mise en scene.Check it out, it shows again just what a masterful film maker he was in his heyday.