16 Blocks (2006)

CLAY

Bruce Willis always suckers me into watching his movies. Thanks to genuine classics such as 12 Monkeys, Pulp Fiction and the perennial favorite DIE HARD, I continue expect greatness from the Blue Collar American Action Hero.

I imagine the pitch for 16 blocks going something like this: "Its Die Hard. . . with a twist! The terrorist-infested building is now SIXTEEN BLOCKS of corrupt policemen who are trying to kill him. He's still a crusty cop-type--we'll give him a drinking problem this time--but he'll still have the lovable african-american sidekick, who will of course provide comic contrast to Willis' patented deadpan, cigarette-infused hardcore attitude. We can't miss!"

If that kind of pitch turns your crank, then you'll probably like 16 Blocks. This could be a "fun flick" if you're not interested in seeing some departures from action-genre conventions. However, if you tire of hackneyed plot development and unabashedly sentimental/simplistic character types, then i'd give it a miss.

Aside from the transparently formulaic script, the whole movie is pretty predictable in terms of action film cliches. The dialog is unimaginative and Mos Def's nasal voice is often abrasive and overdone. The characters feel hollow and simplistically developed, and a critical viewer will REALLY have to stop and consider whether an entire police department would smash up numerous city blocks in a quest to kill one of their own. In my eyes, the whole plot comes off as farfetched.

At best, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 8 slices. It did have its moments, but in the final analysis, I just didn't care what happened to the characters.