16 Blocks

16 Blocks is probably one of Bruce Willis's more overlooked movies, despite the fact that it was relatively recent, being made in 2006.  Willis is Jack Mosley, a New York cop tired of life and with an alcohol problem.  When he is asked to escort a witness (Mos Def) to the courthouse, what seems like a simple 16 block drive turns into something a lot more complicated that takes a lot longer to accomplish than either of them thought it would.  It takes a whole movie in fact.  David Morse also stars.

Told for the most part in a very linear, real time fashion, we are treated to very little exposition or other devices that would help to clarify the plot.  Even once the story gets going and we think we understand what's going on, it's hard to keep up when our main sources of information come from Bruce Willis's grumpy old drunk, or Def's perpetually mumbling character.  It's also hard to care about what's going on when neither of the protagonists are actually likable.  That does change a bit by the very end, but by then it's too late to have cared before hand.  The protagonist, Morse's Frank Nugent, is also not that great of a villain.  His reasons for chasing the two of them down seem convoluted at best, and he's really not that interesting either.

In the end, it's the end itself that is the only saving grace of this movie.  It's not a horrible movie, but it wasn't very memorable or special in any way.

*** (3/5 stars)