Assault on Precinct 13

Name: Assault on Precinct 13
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: November 5, 1976
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

1976

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 7 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	Your Score
7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Ratings

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Assault On Precinct 13

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Movie Details & Credits

Turtle Releasing | Release Date: November 5, 1976 | R

Starring: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

Summary: The lone inhabitants of an abandoned police station are under attack by the overwhelming numbers of a seemingly unstoppable street gang.

Director: John Carpenter

Genre(s): Action, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

Carpenter scrupulously avoids any overt socio-political pretensions, playing it instead for laughs and suspense in perfectly balanced proportions. The result is a thriller inspired by a buff's admiration for Ford and Hawks (particularly Rio Bravo), with action sequences comparable to anything in Siegel or Fuller. It's sheer delight from beginning to end. Read full review

Nick Schager

As incisive as it is thrilling, Carpenter’s film is also gorgeous. Carpenter’s imagery is a thing of propulsive beauty that both enhances suspense and expresses his characters’ ever-changing relations to one another. It’s a fleet, ferocious piece of genre craftsmanship. Read full review

Vincent Canby

Assault on Precinct 13 is a much more complex film than Mr. Carpenter's Halloween, though it's not really about anything more complicated than a scare down the spine. A lot of its eerie power comes from the kind of unexplained, almost supernatural events one expects to find in a horror movie but not in a melodrama of this sort. Read full review

Nathan Rabin

In combining the dread and survival politics of George Romero and The Night Of The Living Dead with the macho heroics and succinct wit of Howard Hawks, Carpenter found his own voice and changed the course of genre filmmaking. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

The shadowy photography, great editing, snappy dialogue, and a moody synthesizer score by Carpenter himself make this one of the most successful homages to the Hawks brand of filmmaking--and a very impressive film in its own right. Read full review

Sean Carlson

The film was designed to be an homage to the John Wayne classic Rio Bravo directed by Carpenter's idol Howard Hawks.The parallels between the film and the westerns that Carpenter holds dear are clear from the get go, none more so striking then the sight of the gang warlords mingling their blood in a bowl in for a symbolic blood oath that echoes similar scenes that found Indians becoming blood brothers in westerns long since forgotten. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Novelty of a gang swearing a blood oath to destroy a precinct station and all inside is sufficiently compelling for the gory-minded to assure acceptance. John Carpenter’s direction of his screenplay, after a pokey opening half, is responsible for realistic movement. Read full review

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User Reviews

NickTheCritick

Nov 22, 2022

On the outskirts of Los Angeles, District 13 is about to be relocated due to public order increasingly compromised by violence. While Lieutenant Bishop goes to the place with the task of supervising the move, a police cell phone that is trampling three dangerous criminals is forced to stopOn the outskirts of Los Angeles, District 13 is about to be relocated due to public order increasingly compromised by violence. While Lieutenant Bishop goes to the place with the task of supervising the move, a police cell phone that is trampling three dangerous criminals is forced to stop there due to the illness of one of them. One of Carpenter's absolute masterpieces.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

OlivierPiel

Mar 26, 2019

When I first saw this film as a teenager, I barely remembered it and thought it inferior compared with actually lesser Carpenter's works (especially Escape from New York). Only now can I appreciate the near flawless pacing and editing, the clever and nearly transcendental photography (alwaysWhen I first saw this film as a teenager, I barely remembered it and thought it inferior compared with actually lesser Carpenter's works (especially Escape from New York). Only now can I appreciate the near flawless pacing and editing, the clever and nearly transcendental photography (always pitting characters against each other to echo the class/race/gender/even political struggles of America). Some of the fighting scenes'choreography show their age of course, but it is overall a great piece of "Americana" art that our younger Walking Dead/Games of Thrones generation should recognize as far superior to their current favorites, pale copies as it where, when it comes to the exploration of the roots of nihilism in our modern Western societies . PS: A shock to see how the main characters of TWD are basically carbon-copies of this film… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

Came

Sep 6, 2019

This is a must watch for Carpenter fans !
For being a low budget movie they really spent the money well, the cast does a great job in the acting & action scenes. The film never get's boring (in my opinion at least) and is overall a fun time. If you like cult films then you should definitelyThis is a must watch for Carpenter fans !
For being a low budget movie they really spent the money well, the cast does a great job in the acting & action scenes. The film never get's boring (in my opinion at least) and is overall a fun time. If you like cult films then you should definitely watch it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eva3si0n

Jul 27, 2022

Assault on Precious 13 is a great action movie. Great John Carpenter. Even almost 50 years after the release, the film looks great, and the action scenes are no longer surprising. But there is a lot of blood here, with which it is clear that in the 70s there was more freedom in cinema, whatAssault on Precious 13 is a great action movie. Great John Carpenter. Even almost 50 years after the release, the film looks great, and the action scenes are no longer surprising. But there is a lot of blood here, with which it is clear that in the 70s there was more freedom in cinema, what can we say about the initial scene with the girl at the ice cream van. And there is no feminism, although there are excellent female characters. The film can clearly be recommended not only to the director's fans but also to all fans of action films… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HellHoleHorror

Feb 15, 2022

The picture quality was variable with the darker scenes looking especially bad. The music was occasionally annoying and the sound effects felt a little empty but that kinda worked in its favour to some extent. The pace of the film was very good. It kept moving and I was never bored. TheThe picture quality was variable with the darker scenes looking especially bad. The music was occasionally annoying and the sound effects felt a little empty but that kinda worked in its favour to some extent. The pace of the film was very good. It kept moving and I was never bored. The action was entertaining and it was a bit different to watch. I liked the fast ending. Scary because of the feeling of gritty helplessness.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

akshatmahajan

Jul 27, 2021

From last few days, I have been watching John Carpenter's movie. I read alot of good things about this movie and watched it. For your info, this movie is now considered cult classic.

For me, the movie was tense as it was supposed to be. The plot was not new. Same old, criminals attackingFrom last few days, I have been watching John Carpenter's movie. I read alot of good things about this movie and watched it. For your info, this movie is now considered cult classic.

For me, the movie was tense as it was supposed to be. The plot was not new. Same old, criminals attacking police station. But the problem with the movie was that they didn't show that much attack. Out of 1hr30min, criminals barely attacked for around 15minutes. There are some good tense scenes including the climax. But for the most part, I felt like I was just a ordinary movie, nothing special.

If we talk about performances, everyone did a fine job. Direction by John Carpenter was just like his other movies such as Escape From New York and Escape From L.A. There was some issues with pacing but it will not effect the overall experience.

Overall, the movie is good. It was just that I expected too much and I found it underwhelming.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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