An extended introduction slowly cranks the anticipation to maximum level and keeps the viewer glued to the screen. The pay-off is delivered, the Cholo shit hits the police fan and the film finds its stride.
What follows is a classic siege movie set in South Central, Los Angeles, but respectful to the Westerns of a bygone era. Fans of the genre will spot many nods in that direction. Carpenter admitted that it’s essentially a version of Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo (1959) transposed to an urban environment.
4 ice-cream trucks and cigarettes out of 5
