Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) centers on a nearly abandoned Los Angeles police station about to be shut down. When a grieving father arrives with a dead gang member’s body and a bus drops off three prisoners, the handful of officers, a station secretary and two criminals being held for transport are suddenly forced to band together. With the phones and electricity cut and a bloodthirsty street gang surrounding the building, the improvised defenders must survive a relentless siege of knives and guns through a long, violent night. Watching the film is a tense, stripped-down experience: claustrophobic and suspenseful, with long stretches of quiet dread punctured by sudden bursts of brutal violence. Expect tight, character-driven confrontations and uneasy alliances across moral lines, a spare, relentless pace that ratchets up the tension, and a gritty, low-budget atmosphere that keeps the focus on survival rather than spectacle. It’s a lean, grim thriller about isolation, loyalty and the violent cost of standing your ground.

Actors: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

Director: John Carpenter

Runtime: 91 min

Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller

6.9 /10 89 /100 7.3 /10 7.7 /10