When they first announced there was a remake of John Carpenter's "Assault on Precinct 13" in progress, my immediate reactions were a little something like: "What?...Why?... This is blasphemy! ... This movie doesn't need to be remade!... etc etc" John Carpenter's original definitely was a revolutionary cult film. It was shocking, disturbing and politically incorrect and they simply can't make movies like that anymore nowadays, no matter how cliché that sounds. Therefore it was impossible for this remake by Jean-François Richet (never heard of him) to improve over the 1976-version. The good news, however, is that Richet never really tries to steal Carpenter's thunder and he surely delivered the best possible movie he could. Assault '05 is an A-budgeted movie that often has the charm of a B-movie and hangs together by adorable clichés, stereotypes and very explicit violence. On new years eve 2004, moments before the transfer towards a brand new police precinct, the old and abandoned precinct 13 is besieged by a gang of heavily armed and well-trained police officers. The reason? Top-gangster Marion Bishop, who was arrested earlier that night, has too much knowledge regarding the corrupt cop Marcus Duvall and his unit. In order to save their own careers, they have to eliminate Bishop before dawn, but also the innocent cops and random people who're in the precinct, because they know too much too now. The film offers quite a lot of suspense, good acting performances (by an impressive cast) and hard-boiled action. The setting (Chicago during a severe blizzard) adds to the tension. John Carpenter's original (which was, in fact, already a sort of remake of "Rio Bravo") will always remain one of the coolest, groundbreaking action movies ever (if it were only for that brutal and hugely controversial ice cream-truck sequence alone),but this film is a neat tribute.

Sgt. Jake Roenick (Ethan Hawke) is on desk duty 8 months after a botch undercover operation kills his close fellow officer. It's New Year's Eve and he's in charge of Detroit's precinct 13 which is suppose to be closed after midnight. Crime lord/cop killer Marion Bishop (Laurence Fishburne) has just been captured and is being transported to jail. However a huge snow storm redirects the transport to precinct 13. This attracts a large group of gunmen, and the skeleton staff must fend them off with help from the prisoners.

This is solid action thriller with good solid actors. The action is tight and economical. Ethan Hawke is able to create a compelling central character and a solid complex relationship with Fishburne. The constant snow storm creates its own atmosphere. It's a fun little action movie.

In 1976, viewers were surprised and astonished with the very credible low budget "John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13". The story of a deactivated precinct under siege by gangs of criminals was really scary and ahead of time, especially for those who lives in a Third World country like me, since it is not far from our recent reality.

Jean-François Richet decided to spoil the credibility of the storyline and introduced weapons and bombs as if it was the invasion of Iraq, but in a city zone, and like the population was the "three monkeys" or "Tommy": nobody sees it, nobody hears it , nobody speaks of it. The point is, if the viewer shuts down the brain and forgets any possibility of reality, of course he will have a good entertainment, especially with the great group of actors and actresses in the cast. But this remake is a heresy with the magnificent original movie. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Assalto ao 13o DP" ("Assault on Precinct 13")