UK Release Date: January 8th 2005
A police sergeant must rally the cops and prisoners together to protect themselves on New Year's Eve, just as corrupt policeman surround the station with the intent of killing all to keep their deception in the ranks.
Director: Jean-Francois Richet
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Byrne, Maria Bello, John Leguizamo, Ja Rule
Jean-Francois Richet's film is a remake. This shares the same name with John Carpenter's 1976 original. According to Total Film, 'the balance has shifted from suspense to action'. At least there's a major difference and it's not another copycat film.
It's New Years Eve, and mobster Bishop (Fishburne) is brought to his precinct due to adverse weather conditions. He is the one the crooked cops want dead. They're linked to Bishop, and will go down with him if he decides to confess. The corrupt police believe that everyone inside the building knows of their wrongdoings and must be eliminated as well. Sgt. Roenick (Hawke) has to do all he can in order to protect the others and survive. This includes enlisting the help of the uncertain Bishop, Jake's (Roenick) psychiatrist Alex (Bello) and the prisoners.
The situation Roenick is in forces him to make risky decisions, which includes help from criminals. This is one of the predictable outcomes we see throughout the film, but for every expected moment there's an unforeseen one. It throws a spanner in the works that will leave you pondering how this is going to end.
What doesn't gel quite so well is corrupt police Captain Marcus Duvall (Byrne), who stands around twiddling his thumbs barking orders at his grunts. We're informed by him the details that we're already aware of. A spot of weak scriptwriting and poor use of casting (Byrne's character is pointless) fill these scenes.
Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne make up what Byrne's character lacks. Roenick is mentally scarred from the death of his partner and Hawke's shifty contour fits this perfectly. Bishop is different. He tells it straight, and never thinks of the consequences.
Overview: A good film that involves little thought. Hawke and Fishburne's collaboration and unlikely pairing of characters make this an entertaining watch.
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