Critic Reviews

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) Rank 4 Reviews

Expert Review Summary

Movie critics combined give Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) a score of 3.0918 out of 4

based on (85) reviews

Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating

Excellent

(24)

Very Good

(57)

Good

(3)

Fair

(1)

Poor

(0)

Reviews by Score:

SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review

Police lieutenant Ethan Bishop is assigned to command the skeleton staff at a police precinct in L.A.â��s Anderson ghetto on the last night before the station is due to close. Problems begin when a prison bus transferring a handful of convicts, including ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review

Arrow in the Head ("The Arrow")

When the recently released remake of Attack on Precinct 13 hit the screens; I decided to celebrate its existence by NOT going to see it and renting the John Carpenter original instead; a flick that I had never seen before (I know, shame on me). Shot ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Arrow in the Head ("The Arrow")

Arrow in the Head

A man wanted RIP by a ruthless street gang named â��Street Thunderâ�� (greatest gang name...ever) finds refuge in an â��about to be closed downâ�� Police Station. Problem is, the thugs followed him there and proceed to fiercely attack the Pig House. The ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Arrow in the Head

VideoVista

Released no doubt to coincide with the recent Laurence Fishburne and Ethan Hawke remake, John Carpenter's original version of Assault On Precinct 13 remains the ultimate base-under-siege movie. LAPD Lieutenant Bishop (Austin Stoker) is assigned to the ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at VideoVista

Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)

ohn Carpenter has held onto his fans by remaining true to his specific vision, using the Cinemascope aspect ratio, working within "genre" pictures and living by an old-fashioned Hollywood work ethic. Assault on Precinct 13 is one of Carpenter's best, an ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)

DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)

John Carpenter is perhaps the least ambitious of the 'weaned on television' wave of 1970s film students who became film directors, but in many ways he's the most natural. His tastes and subjects may not be the highest, but in his first few films he ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at DVD Savant (Glenn Erickson)

Slant Magazine

Kent Jones of Film Comment has referred to horror maven John Carpenter as the last genre filmmaker working in America (indeed, while everyone else seems to move with the digital tide, Carpenter remains a resilient "analog man"). Joseph Kaufman, executive ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Slant Magazine

digitallyOBSESSED.com (Dan Lopez)

Assault on Precinct 13 is John Carpenter's "lost" film. His first feature, the sci-fi black comedy Dark Star, is a cult favorite around the world, and his first post-Assault film was the now legendary Halloween. As a result, Assault is often left off of ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at digitallyOBSESSED.com (Dan Lopez)

Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)

Lately, I noticed that the recent summer season (1996) was chock full of explosion-special effects-filled action fare. However, none of them reached the excitement or suspense of such classics as Die Hard, Star Wars, about two dozen John Ford westerns ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)

BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)

When he's on form, John Carpenter is one of the few directors who can inspire real fear in his audience. Forget aimless nonsense like "The Blair Witch Project" and submit to stripped-down terror - naked, raw, without rules, and directed with ruthless ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)

Kult Movie Maximus

n the rural jungles of L.A. a group of gangstas (one of whom has this HUUUGE fro!!) get blown away by cops, gunned down in an alley faster than you can yell "Shotgun!". For their revenge, four key members of the group get out in their pimp mobile and ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Kult Movie Maximus

Popcorn Pictures Review

Vintage Carpenter doesn't get much better than this. Displaying his real eye for talent, the film begins with trademark credits and another great techno score from the talented director/writer/composer. The film starts off pretty normally but the ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Popcorn Pictures Review

filmcritic.com Assaults Precinct 13

John Carpenter's third movie (2 years before Halloween), and one of his best, in a career that's filled with mostly downs. This low-budget shoot-em-up has L.A. gang-bangers taking a blood oath to kill a guy secreted inside a nearly vacant police station, ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at filmcritic.com Assaults Precinct 13

The Nick Schager Film Project

ohn Carpenterâ��s neo-Western Assault on Precinct 13 (loosely based on Howard Hawksâ�� Rio Bravo) is as formally compact and rigorously efficient as anything the genre filmmaker ever made. The story of a police station that, the night before its closing, ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at The Nick Schager Film Project

DVD Movie Central

If there was any indication of just how good a director John Carpenter was, Assault on Precinct 13 was a darn good sign. It was the director's second outing as a director, following his first try, Dark Star, and the film that would be followed by his ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at DVD Movie Central

DVD MovieGuide

Not too long before he hit it big with Halloween and redefined the horror film, director John Carpenter took his first steps into that genre. Though more influenced by westerns, 1976â��s Assault on Precinct 13 displays some horror elements as well as it ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at DVD MovieGuide

Laurence Mixson

I like Quentin Tarantino alot. In fact, he's one of my favorite directors. After all, here's the man that did Pulp Fiction, a movie so good I gave it ***** out of ****. Which is why I rented Assault on Precint 13. Normally, I don't rent too many ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Laurence Mixson

Images (James Newman)

Assault on Precinct 13 remains one of John Carpenter's best movies. I doubt he would speak so favorable of this film. On his audio commentary track for Image Entertainment's DVD release of Assault on Precinct 13, he frequently laments about the movie's ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Images (James Newman)

The Digital Bits

Master filmmaker John Carpenter comes into his own with this well made cheapy. Borrowing heavily from Rio Bravo, Carpenter shows the world what he can do -- and he can do a lot. ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at The Digital Bits

The Trades (R.J. Carter)

In a defunct and decrepit police precinct in Detroit, a skeleton crew prepares for New Years Eve and the final closing of their building. But plans for a non-event of television, dancing and drinking are put into a tailspin when a busload of prisoners is ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at The Trades (R.J. Carter)

DVD Talk (G. Noel Gross)

It's cowboys vs. savages. Living dead vs. Brains in John Carpenter's first and supreme seige picture. Austin Stoker stars as one of LA's finest sent to babysit Precinct 13 (actually number nine) on its final night of service smack in the middle of Gang ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at DVD Talk (G. Noel Gross)

Movies for Guys

Assault on Precinct 13 is the most violent movie we've seen in a while. For many reviews that statement would be the start of a negative review. But we're happy to see a film earn that R-rating. Euro-weenies, hippies, liberals and other pansies may ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Movies for Guys

Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)

There was good chemistry between all the cast members and, despite the bad costumes, the sight of the gang members attacking the building, coming in endless waves, was creepy. It reminded me a lot of Night of the Living Dead. ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)

The Cold Spot

Punishing and unforgiving, Carpenter's Assault doesn't pull any punches. Although this film is an updating of Rio Bravo, it has the look and feel of a George Romero film--I'm thinking The Crazies, here--the dark colors, faceless enemies, social ...read the complete Assault on Precinct 13 movie review at The Cold Spot

from $3.96