Assault on Precinct 13 is a 1976 American independent action thriller film written, directed, scored, and edited by John Carpenter. The film follows a police officer who defends a defunct precent against a criminal gang as a death row inmate helps him. Assault on Precinct 13 is a film about the destruction of society and communities and the ultimate downfall of humanity cracking under pressure at the hands of a foreign invader.
The film starts with criminals in a ghetto being shot by the police, the film then transitions to a criminal gang who has stolen a bunch of weapons in the police shootout but got away as they, make a blood pack with each cither. This shows how criminal gangs highlighting the desertion of society and communities and the downfall of humanity. One of the main characters is lieutenant Ethan Bishop a cop who must go to the prescient that is being shut down he wants to be a hero, but the film clearly states the theme that there are no hero’s anymore linking to the themes of the downfall of humanity. As this is going on the prisoners are being transitioned to a state penitentiary as the precent is being shut down. Within the film the gang street thunder act like a supernatural evil fog an indiscriminate street gang killing people. This street violence links into the themes of the fall of society and humanity as further shown with a girl and her dad driving though a bad crime ridden neighbourhood as her dad doesn’t want to talk to the police showing a world that is hopeless.
Bishop arrives at the precinct as the Skelton staff is here including sergeant Chaney and the stations two sectaries leigh and Julia. Bishop the cop lives near the police station and was sent here as punishment by his dad and he was in a home until he was 20. This shows through crime society and humanity has been destroyed, as through crime the film showing humanity being destroyed at the hands of a foreign invader. These themes a further shown with crime being on the rise due to a gang called street thunder, roaming around as Chaney overseas the precent as it is in a transitionary period on, he last night. The street gang then look at random people as they are driving along though a sniper scope. This again shows how city and communities are being destroyed and the downfall of humanity. Winston on of the prisoners in the film is a character that constantly wants a smoke, he philosophises about women being precious and leaving you, the cop cannot understand him as he wonders why he killed two men as a preacher once told him death followed him. This further links into the themes of the downfall of society and humanity as the film follows broken people who have an internal evil within them. As this is going on street thunder murder an ice-cream man and a little girl as the dad find her dead as the dying ice-cream gives him his gun as he sets off in pursuit. This shows how violence is every present and is destroying community, humanity, and society. As a result, the prisoners must go to precinct 13 for the night and are in holding tanks as one of the prisoners are sick. Kathy’s father ends up shooting and killing the warlord in revenge for killing his daughter showcasing the downfall of humanity and society though violence.
The gang members go after him as they walk slowly appearing from the darkness. He runs to the president, but he is in so much shock he can explain that happened as the gang suddenly disappears. This again shows the gang is like a ghostly presence destroying humanity, society, and communities. The gang then cut the phones lines and the electricity. The gang then opens fire using silencers as they are unseen in the darkness like an evil force as they shoot and kill Chaney. This again shows the destruction of society and the downfall of humanity as an unseen force destroys all. The gang open fire on Ethan who runs back inside as the gang are hiding in the darkens. The gang are firing unseen from the darkness as they kill the bus driver, Caudal, Stalker and the two officers approaching them. This again showing the gang as an evil omnipotent force destroying society, communities, and humanity. The gang members start shooting at and into the building as bullets come from nowhere like an invisible force destroying the budling. This again links to the idea of an evil destroying humanity and society. This is further shown with the gang then again seemingly disappears form the darkness as they are cut off from everyone. Street thunder then sneak around in the darkness at the cut of the powerlines and set up roadblock. They then throw blood on the ground and the flag as they have been marked for death the form of a siege. This shows the downfall of humanity and society that the times are gangs are the dominant otherworldly force seeming destroying the world.
Street thunder then starts firing on the precinct using the cars as shields as Leigh releases Wells and Wilson from the cells to fight the gang, as bishop hands Wilson a gun as he shoots the gang members. This shows the downfall of society and the downfall of humanity. Wells, Wilson, Leigh, and Bishop fight off the invasion as they are like ghostly faceless entities trying to break though running around in the night, as Julie is killed in the firefight. This shows the downfall of society as the gangs are like an indiscriminate mass destroying everything. The film showcases unlikely alliances as the cops and the criminals work together as weird bonds form despite the films hopeless feeling. Street thunder then just despairs in the night as the cars and bodies are gone as the gang is shown to be a supernatural presence attacking the protagonists. As one of the people killed the gang leader they’re now marked for death, they are Cholo’s they don’t care they are not afraid to die as they just want to kill all of them. This again shows the gang as an evil omnipotent force destroying society. This is further shown in a story told by Wells were one of them was in his cell and was crazy. The other cops hear on the radio gun fire in the area but hey can’t see anything, one of them suggests checking the street but the other one states there is nothing there but the old station. This shows that society is collapsing and highlighting he downfall of these structures. Wilson and Bishop play potatoes to see who must hotwire a car, Wells loses as Wilson and Bishop have a nice little moment together, this shows the sadness of humanities downfall and the crakes in people Wilson and Leigh don’t have faith, but Bishop does, and Wilson believes himself. This again showcases that in the downfall of society human form bonds to try and save the world.
Bishop crawls out of the precent to get to the car however one of the gang members is hidden in the back and kills him, as the three of them including Lawson barricade themselves for a last stand. This shows a cynical look at society and humanity as everything leads to destruction. Wilson and Leigh wonder what happened to Lawson she asks him why he didn’t run away he says you should run form someone who’s helpless, it then turns out they have run out of time as Wilson explains he was born out of time. This shows despite humanity declining the film highlights the impotence of the bonds people form. They shoot flairs at the tank and kills gang members using a sign for cover, as this is going on the cops still don’t notice anything but feel something is off. This demonstrates the deposition of society and the downfall of humanity as a faceless mob tries to destroy normal people within society. The destruction is seeming hidden until the police find blood on one of their cars which is from a dead body as they call for back up, as this is going on the gang is setting the precinct on fire with Molotov cocktails. This showcases the depiction of society and the downfall of society as the gang is like a force of death eliminating everything in its path. They barricade themselves inside the precinct as Wilson tells Ethan why he is named Napoleon again showcasing the bonds the people create despite humanities downfall as the gang run over the precinct and they fight them back. The smoke and fire kill the gang as well as gun fire. Finally, the explosion ignites as some of the gang members are killed as the remainders of the gang flee. This again shows the downfall of humanity as the violence only ends with death and destruction as there is no happy ending. When the cops arrive Bishop, Leigh, Wilson, and Lawson are the only survivors as Lawson is strapped into a stretcher and removed as again there is no happy ending no victory just survivors. Leigh is offered aa stretcher bit refuses after her and Wilson engage a long look as the film is about the unexpected bonds people form due to to being forced together in a terrible situation. Bishop angry intervenes when a cop attempts to handcuff Wilson as they walk out of the precinct together. Again, Assault on Precinct 13 is about forming a bond in a terrible situation by force and working together.
Assault on Precinct 13 is a film about the destruction of society and communities and humanity being destroyed by seemingly otherworldly enemy. The film showcases how this can be fought however by the bonds people form in a bad situation in a coming goal to destroy the evil.