Trespass (1992)

Fresh and Exciting

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Indeed, veteran action specialist Walter Hill "goes gangsta" in this stylized thrill ride. It blurs the lines between "good" guys and "bad" guys; the protagonists are not squeaky clean, and the antagonists are not purely one-dimensional - not all of them, anyway. An assortment of colorful characters and solid performances add to the entertainment value of a film that ultimately builds to a real fever pitch. The pacing is truly excellent, along with the atmosphere and the typically eclectic music score by Hills' old pal, Ry Cooder.Bill Paxton (Rest in Peace, sir) and William Sadler are Vince and Don, two Arkansas firemen who get wind that the treasure from a long ago church robbery has been socked away inside a now decrepit wreck of an apartment building. Wouldn't you know it: soon after Vince and Don arrive at the place, a gang of very tough black drug pushers arrive to use the place to execute a traitorous member of their crew. Vince witnesses the act, leading to a completely untenable situation where the main thing keeping Vince and Don alive is the fact that they've taken Lucky (De'voreaux White, "Die Hard"), the younger brother of gang leader King James (rapper / actor Ice-T), prisoner.While you don't necessarily root for any one team in particular, you do understand where certain characters are coming from. King James really does have genuine concern for his sibling, while Vince is a more naive and somewhat more reasonable person than Don, who's determined to have the trip be worth something. Drawn into the fray is a homeless man named Bradlee (Art Evans, "Fright Night") who's been squatting in the building. Naturally, the whole argument comes up over who exactly has the most right to the gold.Particularly riveting are the dynamics between key characters, as both Vince & Don, and King James & his right hand man, Savon (Ice Cube), argue over methodology.The action comes fast and furious, with Hill drawing us into one tense and effective sequence after another. The stunts and special effects are first rate, and the soundtrack, consisting of Cooders' score and a selection of rap tunes (including a kick ass duet by Ice-T and Ice Cube), is consistently catchy. The mostly black cast includes some very solid character actors: Bruce A. Young ("Jurassic Park III"), Glenn Plummer ("Speed"), Stoney Jackson ("Streets of Fire"), 'Tiny' Lister ("Friday"), et al.It's a shame that this was actually a flop in its time. 25 years later, it still works quite well, with a finale that truly brings the house down.Written, and executive produced, by Bob Gale & Robert Zemeckis.Eight out of 10.

Two firemen, Vince and Don, get hold of a map that leads to a cache of stolen gold in an abandoned factory. What they don't know is that the factory is in the turf of a local gang, who come by to execute one of their enemies. Vince sees the shooting, the gang spots Vince, and mayhem ensues. As they try to escape, gang leader King James argues with his subordinate Savon about how to get rid of the trespassers......Its Cowboys and Indians in the Ghetto, that's all it is, and the fun never let's up right until the final scene, which is a wonderful twist. Hill proves that he is a great action director, and this was probably the last great film he made, because its simple, all its about is being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and being greedy is bad for you.The two Ices were really big when this film was released, and hadn't yet delved into Leprechaun and Are we there yet territory, so they were still 'edgy' when this came out.Paxton and Sadler overdo the hillbilly a little bit, and sometimes they come across a little too slapstick, but it doesn't deter from the overall feel to the move.If you like your action movies simple, topical, and short, this one ticks all the boxes...

Trespass is directed by Walter Hill and written by Bob gale and Robert Zemeckis. It stars Bill Paxton, Ice-T, William Sadler and Ice Cube. Music is by Ry Cooder and cinematography by Lloyd Ahern II. Plot finds Sadler and Paxton as two fireman who learn of stolen treasure hidden in a disused building in East St. Louis. Upon arriving there they begin their search but are interrupted when a gang led by Ice-T's King James decides to use the building to execute an enemy. A stand off ensues....It was held back from release under its original title of "The Looters" due to the L.A. riots in the summer of 92. Where under its new title it was released at Christmas and promptly bombed at the box office. A shame since it's a taut and claustrophobic thriller crafted with knowing skill by Walter Hill. Clearly an urban take on The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, with dashes of Rio Bravo thrown in for good measure, film makes the most of the premise without using pointless filler and by not being afraid to up the racial hatred aspects of the stand off. Hill's construction of the action is first rate and smooth, and the cast are firing on all cylinders to make the material work in what is practically a one location picture. 7/10

First of all I hate those moronic rappers, who could'nt act if they had a gun pressed against their foreheads. All they do is curse and shoot each other and acting like cliché'e version of gangsters.The movie doesn't take more than five minutes to explain what is going on before we're already at the warehouse There is not a single sympathetic character in this movie, except for the homeless guy, who is also the only one with half a brain.Bill Paxton and William Sadler are both hill billies and Sadlers character is just as much a villain as the gangsters. I did'nt like him right from the start.The movie is filled with pointless violence and Walter Hills specialty: people falling through windows with glass flying everywhere. There is pretty much no plot and it is a big problem when you root for no-one. Everybody dies, except from Paxton and the homeless guy and everybody get what they deserve.The only two black people that can act is the homeless guy and the junkie but they're actors by profession, not annoying ugly brain dead rappers.Stay away from this crap and watch 48 hours 1 and 2 instead. At lest they have characters you care about, a sense of humor and nothing but real actors in the cast.