16 Blocks: Review By Josh

Not as good as bent-cop movies like Training Day, Serpico, and Dark Blue, 16 Blocks is nevertheless quite smart and well-shot. Bruce Willis' character really feels like a sort of beat up, broken down old man, and his unlikely quest for redemption unravels in a way that's fairly predictable but still emotionally satisfying. Mos Def is great here and his character is nicely fleshed out; though some people will find him irritating, I didn't. Director Richard Donner captures the feeling of being used up and tired but still pressing on, which makes for some great scenes that balance tension and reflection. And it's quite a good script.The main idea of the film is how a person's actions can define him, and poses the question "can people change?". It's better than the average action flick.