Trespass

Looking at the cover of 'Trespass' it would be easy to overlook it on the shelves, thinking it was just another one of hundreds of generic action movies that clog up the video store shelves. I know I did for quite some time. Bill Paxton and William Sadler are dependable character actors but seeing the pictures of both Ice-T and Ice Cube hardly inspires confidence. As rappers they are without doubt very talented, but apart from Cube's surprisingly good performance in 'Three Kings', neither has impressed me as an actor. In fact having Ice-T in the cast of a movie is invariably a sign that it sucks big time. No disrespect intended to T, but he seems to have made some lousy career choices when it comes to motion pictures ('Tank Girl', 'Mean Guns', 'Below Utopia', 'The Alternate',etc.etc.) closer inspection however reveals that 'Trespass' is directed by Walter Hill. That's Walter 'The Driver', 'The Warriors', 'The Long Riders' Hill. Even more interesting is the fact that the script is by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis of 'Back To The Future' fame. Well I'm glad I finally gave this movie a shot, because while it isn't one of Hill's best, it's a very effective and tense thriller. It's a siege thriller, and I love that style when it's done well e.g. 'Straw Dogs', 'Assault On Precinct 13'. Paxton and Sadler play firefighting buddies who come in possession of a map which reveals hidden treasure, looted from a church fifty years earlier. When they journey to an abandoned factory to find it they witness a murder and find themselves trapped. Outside is gangsta King James (Ice-T) and his gang, including hotheaded Savon (Ice Cube), and inside they have James' junkie "brother" Lucky (De'Voreaux White) as a hostage, and an old homeless man Bradlee (Art Evans). Okay, I'll admit that there's not much new here (the movie is deliberately modeled on John Huston's classic 'The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre'), but the acting is above average, especially from Sadler, a most underrated actor, and Hill manages to sustain the suspense right until the very end. Definitely worth a look.

The main focus of this movie is the set-up of various action sequences, the debating over what to do in the characters' situations, and – what Walter Hill has always been especially good at – the overall machismo. Most of "Trespass" is a drawn-out standoff between the bad guys in a remote, long-abandoned warehouse and the grossly outnumbered good guys in a tightly-sealed room with the bad leader's brother as a hostage. David Fincher may have wanted to watch this movie and taken notes, since "Panic Room" has got absolutely nothing on this movie. The action begins very quickly and doesn't let up until the fiery, casualty-counting conclusion, making the film's 101min length seem like not even half that. "Trespass" is ripe with Hill's inimitable style and pace, combining with Ry Cooder's score and Lloyd Ahern's sepia-toned cinematography to create a sense of desolation and high tension for the setting.

Add to this an excellent cast of genre and character actors for a very captivating film. Bill Paxton and William Sadler ("Die Hard II") turn in intense performances as the lone protagonists, especially Sadler whose career unfortunately never reached the level it should have. Ice-T is in one of his more effective roles as King James, the gangsta leader. Ice Cube also stands out as the upstart, rebellious follower of James, Savon; his "king of the streets" speech is the monologue highlight of the movie. Art Evans (also from "Die Hard II") is perfect as the wise old angry homeless man, who reluctantly helps out Paxton and Sadler despite their initial treatment of him. And the criminal elements include noticeable performances from De'voreaux White as the unfortunate hostage 'Lucky'; Tiny 'Zeus' Lister Jr. as the musclebound henchman 'Cletus'; and the underused Stoney Jackson as the overly-suave crony 'Wickey'.

This was the last of a string of box office disappointments (including "Johnny Handsome" and "Another 48 Hrs.") that Hollywood allowed Walter Hill to make before relegating him to the role of mainstream hack. "Trespass" was released with little fanfare, having its release date postponed from summertime to after Christmas as a result of the 'crisis' that was the LA riots. Besides its original title of "Looters", "Trespass" also includes the recurring theme of seeing events via videocamera (which would have been a troubling reminder of the Rodney King and Reginald Denny beatings), not to mention a heavy, uncompromising racist slant not too common in modern-day action movies.

Though not Hill's best, it is far from his worst. A must-see for fans of stylized action. 8/10

I saw this film recently on cable and found myself more intrigued by it than I thought I would be. I hadn't heard anything about this movie so I really didn't know what to expect. It ended up being much better than I expected and, while not a great film, it is certainly one I wouldn't mind watching again. I recognized the elements of "Treasure of Sierra Madre" without having any information about the film. I've since learned that it was indeed echoing Huston's film.

I had no problem with the actors and actually found some of the conflicts on both sides interesting. Even some of the "bad guys" were struggling to deal with decisions they didn't necessarily agree with. I didn't really see the characters as all bad or all good. Each had their own demons that they brought with them and they were all susceptible to the lure of gold.

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

It seems that it is impossible to have a movie that is completely action orientated, yet be highly intelligent.But Trespass has done this very well. It puts together a group of characters in a difficult situation with which you get to see them react to their circumstances in a fresh and realistic way.

I was very impressed with Ice-T who gave an extremely convincing performance as the leader of the criminals.

This film is excellent and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who would like to see an action movie done right!