Crappy film

Absolutely the worst movie.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Assault on Precint 13 is a great film. Independent in quality and execution but better than many studio films. Young John Carpentar had already made Dark Star which is a comedy sci-fi better known for being the source for Ridley Scott's Alien in many ways and yet had Halloween ahead. This is great direction- there isn't much dialogue and the sequence of attack on the police station is very good.All actors are character types which only add to the atmosphere and realism.

Precinct 13 is what Carpenter considers to be his first real film. Despite being so, it contains some very impressive camera angles and use of shadows, as well as a score that, although technically simple, epitomises the word 'cool'. Made on a shoestring budget, it was unfairly gnawed at by critics and yet eventually cemented itself as a cult classic (which is a sentence that can be attributed to half of Carpenter's filmography) The plot, like all the best Carpenter movies, is a simple one – A group on inhabitants in an abandoned police station find themselves under attack from an unstoppable street gang. The lack of funds available meant that coverage of scenes had to be played out from a single angle longer than normal. This gives the movie a straightforward, brutal and almost documentary-like approach. Pretty violent for its time, Precinct 13 grips you as you will for the goodies to make it out of this sticky situation alive. You also don't need to be a genius to see all the nods and reverences to Carpenter's favourite westerns. The acting quality varies between cast members, but the dynamic duo of Police Officer Austin Stroker and anti-hero Darwin Joston make up for the relatively sub-par supporting cast. The tension present in the film is just one of the many Carpenter trademarks that he would be later known for. Not much is known about the huge, almost cult-like, street gang – they are as enigmatic as any Carpenter villain, and the tautness of the movie is improved because of this. Best Scene: That ice cream truck scene, which completely shocked me. A young girl who looks around only seven walks to the truck to replace her ice-cream but unbeknownst to her it have been boarded by the street gang. One member, without even looking, just points her gun at the sweet girl and blows her away. There's no dramatic music or anything; it's done in a matter-of-fact kind of way, which makes it all the more disturbing.

This early Carpenter classic remains a cult item and contains many of the things we associate with him such as a spooky atmosphere and some catchy synthesiser music. I'm finding myself liking a lot of Carpenter's films and this is no exception. It runs like a hybrid of THE BIRDS, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and a crime thriller, with birds and zombies replaced by faceless gang members. The similarities to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD in particular become very apparent when you think about it: an isolated building under siege from an ever-increasing horde of enemies; a black hero; a finale which sees the survivors retreating to the basement.The tension here is created by a deliberately slow start which gently eases the suspense up to breaking point, finally bursting the bubble with a sudden bust of graphic violence - that of a young girl getting shot to death. From then on it turns into an increasingly desperate life or death battle between the inhabitants of the abandoned police station and the hordes of gang members. The acting is actually very good here, a surprise as most of the cast were never heard of to begin with and never seen again afterwards. Stoker and Joston in particular are excellent as the opposing cop and convict who join forces. The charisma between these two tough guys is something to see and they really hit it off together. Joston has the showier role as a mild-mannered murderer but Stoker's subtle performance adds the depth needed to the film.The music is quite simplistic and yet still very effective, although not as exceptional as Carpenter's classic score for HALLOWEEN. After recently watching an uncut, pristine and widescreen print on DVD I was able to appreciate this film in all its real glory. If you like some of Carpenter's other films then check this one out, you won't be disappointed, and action and thriller fans should definitely spend a night with this one to see what exactly can be achieved on just a small budget.

When I was 7 in 1980 there was ON-TV which was the original pay per view. It was different than HBO because movies got there months before cable. It was there where i saw this gritty film. I didn't know the name of the movie but 2 early violent scenes stuck in my head because of the violent nature of it. Years later I saw the box cover and it looked creepy so I rented it and was shocked when I saw a scene that i never forgot (when you see this film you'll know which scene) and was surprised that John Carpenter was the one who directed this film. I watched with anticipation and loved the film. The acting is OK, but the story is well done for the budget he had (about 150,000.00). Very simple story to follow but well executed.I give it 7 out of 10 only because of some obvious goofs in the movie but well worth the viewing time.