Mr-Fusion For some reason, I've always lumped TRESPASS in with JUDGMENT NIGHT - a woeful misapprehension, to be sure. This movie shares more in common with the first two DIE HARD movies (and not just in the casting department). It greatly benefits from Walter Hill's tense direction and it's also refreshingly unpredictable; the twists weren't apparent, and it's a pretty good nail-biter as a result. Art Evans was a casting highlight, and brought a nice dose of humor to such a no-nonsense affair. And I love that the guys responsible for BACK TO THE FUTURE wrote this movie. 7/10

FlashCallahan 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...

Paul Andrews Trespass starts in Arkansas where two firemen Vince (Bill Paxton) & Don (William Sadler) stumble across a map showing the whereabouts of millions in stolen gold while putting out a huge fire, together they decide to find the gold for themselves & get rich. The map leads the pair to East St. Louis & an old abandoned factory, once there they start looking for the gold. Meanwhile local gangster King James (Ice-T) & his gang kill a rival who has ripped them off thinking no-one would be at the abandoned factory. Vince & Don witness the murder & are seen by King James & his gang, thinking fast Don takes a hostage & barricades himself & Vince a in a secure room. For the time being they are safe as there is no way into the room but at the same time there is no way out either so Vince & Don are trapped as King James & his men outside try to get into the room & kill them...Directed by Walter Hill this is an entertaining little action thriller that I quite liked. The script by executive producers Bob Gale & Robert Zemeckis could be described as a more urban version of Panic Room (2002), only a decade earlier. The basic plot which really isn't too dissimilar to Panic Room is very good & I liked it, it's one of those plots where you tend to put yourself in certain character's positions & think about what you would do in their situation. Whether you would go hunting for the gold or how you would get out of the room without getting killed by the gangsters Trespass has a good story that holds your attention & definitely keeps you interested until the end. The character's are good if a little too simple, they are either good or bad with nothing between really although Don has a certain darker side. The script is fairly pacey although I must say that it can get a little repetitive at times, once Vince & Don are trapped in the room the film never really goes anywhere else & there aren't any sub-plots or anything else going on. The script also tries to throw in some moral dilemmas, in particular Vince & Don have millions in gold but it's completely worthless since they are more than likely going to be killed, it has a stab at trying to say money isn't everything & greed will ultimately lead to ones downfall. I suspect the main reason why Trespass isn't more well known is that there's a distinct lack of big action set-pieces, there's some shoot-outs & some scenes of buildings on fire but little else in the way of action. So what it boils down to really is whether you want lots of action or can get by with just a good solid intriguing plot, overall I liked Trespass but it's not a film I would probably want to watch again anytime soon.Set almost entirely in an abandoned factory the film looks nice enough & the action is well choreographed. I suppose it's a fairly unremarkable film that won't last long in the memory in terms of looks & visual style but the plot does stand out & is something a little bit different. The violence is not excessive, a few people get shot & someone gets pushed off a roof. There is however lots of profanity as all the black gangsters swear like it's a religion, in fact all the language does get a little tedious & tiresome after a while. Just because you can say the 'F' word several times in a sentence doesn't mean you are hard.Although set in St. Louis it was apparently shot on location in Memphis in Tennessee & Atlanta in Georgia. I must say that I am big fans of both Bill Paxton & William Sadler & I think they are both very good in this while the two named after small blocks of frozen water Ice-T & Ice Cube swear a lot. One of very few films not to feature a single woman during it's running time at all.Trespass is a good tight little taught thriller with some nice action as well, the story is good & I liked it but it does get a little repetitive at times & if you can't get into the story then you will end up hating it.

Woodyanders Eager beaver Vince (a fine performance by Bill Paxton) and his more cynical buddy Don (the always excellent William Sadler) are two Arkansas firemen who stumble across a map to a fortune in gold. Vince and Don go to a rundown derelict factory located in a dangerous East St. Louis ghetto neighborhood to retrieve the loot. They find themselves in considerable jeopardy when they run afoul of a lethal gang of drug dealers led by the ruthless King James (a superbly menacing Ice T) and his hot-tempered right-hand man Savon (Ice Cube in peak surly form). Don and Vince manage to abduct King James' crippled junkie brother Lucky (a nicely twitchy De'voreaux White), which leads to a tense cat and mouse stand-off between the two opposing groups. Director Walter Hill relates the narrative hurtling along at a constant breakneck pace, expertly milks a maximum amount of suspense from the absorbing story, and stages the stirring action scenes with his trademark fiery brio and striking style. The tight, edgy script by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis makes a bleak and potent statement about how greed and power lust bring out the worst in people while making a radical departure from the standard action picture formula: There are no clear-cut distinctions between the good guys and the bad guys in this dark tale of betrayal and disloyalty; instead we've got a handful of desperate folks who all find themselves neck deep in a whole lot of trouble. The film further benefits from the uniformly sound acting from a tip-top cast: Paxton and Sadler have a sturdy, relaxed rapport, Ice T and Ice Cube spar with each other with rip-snorting gusto, plus there are stand-out turns by Art Evans as bitter, hapless old bum Bradlee, Stoney Jackson as the suave Wickey, Bruce Young as smooth gun dealer Raymond, Tommy "Tiny" Lester as the hulking Cletus, and Gwenn Plummer as itchy trigger man Luther. Lloyd Ahern's slick cinematography and Ry Cooder's rattling, rousing bluesy score are both solid and effective. The last third of the movie is especially gripping and exciting. A bang-up little beaut.