16 Blocks

Name: 16 Blocks
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 3, 2006
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Bruce Willis, David Morse, Mos Def

2006

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 237 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 237 Ratings

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16 BLOCKS

Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: March 3, 2006

Starring: Bruce Willis, David Morse, Mos Def

Summary: The story of how two men change -- and change each other -- during a tense 16 block struggle between life and death. (Warner Bros.)

Director: Richard Donner

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 105 min

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Awards & Rankings

82	#82 Most Discussed Movie of 2006

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum

A helluva lot happens in 16 Blocks - an outrageous amount, really, along with a coda that deposits the audience squarely at a movieland finale. Who knew that looking both ways before crossing is where the real action is? Read full review

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

A mismatched-buddy movie that's endearing, funny and affecting in equal measure.

Roger Ebert

The bedrock of the plot is the dogged determination of the Bruce Willis character. Jack may be middle-aged, he may be tired, he may be balding, he may be a drunk, but if he's played by Bruce Willis you don't want to bet against him. Read full review

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

Thanks to a compact story and some economical direction, it actually ends up better than it has any right to be. Read full review

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

The action sequences that follow are routine to the point of monotony, involving chases through crowded streets and store fronts, a commandeered bus, a woman in peril, and so on. But Donner wisely devotes long spells in between to the evolving relationship between Jack and Eddie. Read full review

ReelViews James Berardinelli

It's a cobbled together mess of clichés that fails to surprise at any of its turns. Read full review

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

This noisy, formulaic film turns out to be immediately forgettable, except for the parts that are so ridiculous they leave you shaking your head in wonder hours later. Read full review

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User Reviews

MarcusL.

Apr 3, 2009

I don't get how you people give this great movie a score below a 7. I think it was very good and Mos Def and Bruce Willis did a very good job acting in it.

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TarynM.

Mar 3, 2006

Bruce Wilis & Mos Def have great chemistry; the action was edge of your seat entertaining; David Morse played a great heavy - such an underrated actor. Got teary-eyed at the end. All in all, a great ride!

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MattA

Aug 19, 2007

Not horrible at all. A classic cop-caper that had a fair share of tension, and gun fights, with little blood and guts. Bruce Willis plays a great drunken cop, who keeps you guessing about the justification of his actions. Mos Def surprised me by playing such a stereotypical character so Not horrible at all. A classic cop-caper that had a fair share of tension, and gun fights, with little blood and guts. Bruce Willis plays a great drunken cop, who keeps you guessing about the justification of his actions. Mos Def surprised me by playing such a stereotypical character so well, and making himself seem so believable compared to the actor he is. The plot was safe if not a bit predictable and far-fetched, but it keeps one interested for the full 99 minutes.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

EdJ.

Mar 4, 2006

We never did learn what it was the bad cops did - only (if you interpret through MosDef's nasal whine) that it was wrong. The action scenes were well choreagraphed and exciting.

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askewreviews

Feb 26, 2013

A surprisingly good take on the buddy-cop cliche. The storyline is pretty unbelievable but rolls along at a nice pace, with great action sequences and frequent twists. Bruce Willis plays a typical "last assignment cop" character but is pretty charismatic. Thankfully Mos Def gives a decentA surprisingly good take on the buddy-cop cliche. The storyline is pretty unbelievable but rolls along at a nice pace, with great action sequences and frequent twists. Bruce Willis plays a typical "last assignment cop" character but is pretty charismatic. Thankfully Mos Def gives a decent performance and the dialogue between his character and Willis' is often quite funny. Not a hugely remarkable film, but certainly not a bad one. I've watched 16 Blocks several times now and it is still an entertaining movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MeritCoba

Apr 20, 2016

Bruce Willis looks particular bad as an unhappy aging cop with a drinking problem(drinking on the job! My My) who gets saddled with escorting witness Mos Def to a courthouse that is like sixteen blocks down the street. You might say, "That isn't far at all!", but some bad cops headed byBruce Willis looks particular bad as an unhappy aging cop with a drinking problem(drinking on the job! My My) who gets saddled with escorting witness Mos Def to a courthouse that is like sixteen blocks down the street. You might say, "That isn't far at all!", but some bad cops headed by David Morse make the going rough. And boy what do 16 blocks feel far.

I had to blink for a moment to recognize Bruce for he looked thin and pretty sick with a white pasty face and red eyelids. For a moment he seemed at home as the rundown detective who gets through his day downing liquor and was expecting something of a reprise of his role in Pulp Fiction or Sin City. To commend Bruce, he does give it a try but unfortunately for him it isn't that kind of movie.

While Bruce plays his role with verve the rest of the movie is something we have seen a gazillion times before. Which isn't bad really, but it would have been better if Bruce had been given something of a script that actually accommodates his role or they had settled for the action movie kind of thing and left that part out. Now it feels like the movie is flip flopping between the plight of a down and out cop and some silly action sequences.

The movies does have some nice scenes involving Bruce and Mos when Mos learns Bruce that anyone can change for the better, but the Mos' role is maimed by the irritating nasal tone that someone has written into his character. As if someone wanted to undercut the character by making him talk silly.

David Morse is a decent bad cop, but his role is so hammered shut that not even the greatest of actors could have done anything with it. The key scene is at the end when Bruce confronts Morse. How that works out I can't tell here, but it's isn't a pretty scene and what happens is totally unsurprising. I thought that Deus ex Machima were a no no nowadays.. but we get one in this movie.

In the end the good cops that aided the bad cops get redeemed. Which is commendable, really. Not all cops are bad. At least: I hope not.

The lowdown: despite the actors doing a good job, the story is just too much hampered by silly action scenes and some badly drawn characters. A pity really.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JJu

Jul 27, 2006

can't stand mos defs voice for more then a minute.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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