Notes on Assault on Precinct 2.0

Ethan Hawke may be the best actor of his generation. From the loopy, undercover drug addict of the opening scene to the drunken, manic-depressive louse of the film's second act, to the rousing, manned-up hero of the denouement...Hawke is a marvel to behold.

This update, muscular and surprising, captures Carpenter's spirit, if not his pared-down, Hawksian formalism. Major characters die at the drop of a hat and the action unfolds at a non-stop, breathless pace.

The disaster is lived-in. It's a flawed film, but an affecting one.