Movie Description Directed by Richard Donner (SUPERMAN, LETHAL WEAPON), 16 BLOCKS is a tale of corrupt police officers, a Grand Jury witness, and one cop who is trying to do the right thing. Jack Mosley (Bruce Willis) is weary. A lame leg and a love affair with alcohol make him a virtual joke at the NYPD. Tired and ready to head home, Mosley is assigned one last job before he can punch out: pick up petty thief Eddie Bunker (Mos Def) in lock-up and transport him to the courthouse where he is set to testify before the Grand Jury. Only 16 New York City blocks separate the two, but it might as well be a million miles. Soon, the officer and his charge find themselves under fire, becoming the target of someone who wants to keep Bunker from testifying. Escaping the initial attack, Mosley calls for backup only to discover that corrupt police officers, including his ex-partner Frank Nugent (David Morse), want Bunker out of the picture.
Mosley surprises everyone--maybe even himself--by doing the right thing and saving Bunker from certain death. With only 118 minutes to get the witness to the courthouse before the case will be thrown out, Mosley pulls out every trick in the book. He maneuvers Bunker through the crowded, confined streets of Manhattan's Chinatown towards their destination, trying to avoid the police officers who are hunting them down as they race against time. Willis fully inhabits Mosley, a washed-up cop who is haunted by his past decisions, and Mos Def is right on target as Bunker, a chatty career criminal being hunted just as he is ready to turn his life around and make something of himself.
IN THEATERS MARCH 3, 2006
In New York City, a hard-bitten police officer (Bruce Willis) is in charge of escorting a chatty, upbeat witness (Mos Def) downtown to court. The walk proves to be one of the longest and most dangerous of their lives, as it is many people's interests to dispose of the witness.
| Credits | | Producer: | George Furla, Hadeel Reda, John Thompson, Randall Emmett | | Cast: | Casey Sander, Mos Def |
| Details | | Edition: | Widescreen |
Editorial Reviews "Bruce Willis gives his best performance in years -- his acting has a lived-in authenticity that pairs up beautifully with his still-potent star power." Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (03/23/2006)
3 stars out of 5 -- "The action sequences are adept and the leads likeable..." Total Film - Nev Pierce (06/01/2006)
"That 16 BLOCKS more readily evokes the likes of SERPICO and PRINCE OF THE CITY, both directed by Sidney Lumet, is indicative of a more mature approach to the themes of police corruption and personal redemption." Sight and Sound - Ali Jaafar (06/01/2006)
3 stars out of 4 -- "[A] well-acted thriller about life on both sides of the thin blue line." Rolling Stone - Peter Relic (06/29/2006)
3 stars out of 4 -- "Def's jittery ramblings provide the zing and Donner deftly handles the action sequences..." Uncut - Michael Bonner (09/01/2006)
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